Christmas cards forge bonds between prisoners, parishes

When you care enough to send the very best, God-centered charitable works can reach through prison bars to touch the souls of those who live therein. This year, two Hunterdon County parishes teamed up with their Knights of Columbus council to show imprisoned men that they were not forgotten with the donation of more than 2,700 religious and secular Christmas cards intended for use by the inmates of East Jersey State Prison, Rahway.

In addition to his role as permanent deacon in Frenchtown’s Our Lady of Victories Parish, Patrick O’Boyle works as a chaplain in the New Jersey prison system. During a conversation with longtime friend and OLV Knights of Columbus member Michael Miciak, the deacon shared that the inmates in the men’s prison regretted the limited postal contact they had with their loved ones, especially at Christmastime.

“The holiday season is a challenging time, [and] the inmates feel the most broken,” said Deacon O’Boyle. “They look forward to hearing from their relatives.” The men were able to purchase pens and postage, but Christmas cards to exchange with friends and family were difficult to obtain. Deacon O’Boyle’s quest to collect and distribute nearly 2,500 cards (roughly five cards per inmate) would be a formidable task.

Enter Miciak and the Delaware Valley Council 7581 Knights of Columbus which draws its members from both OLV and St. Edward the Confessor Parish in Milford.

“Mail has been part of my family all my life,” explained Miciak, who regularly exchanges postcards with his sister to keep in touch. Recognizing the compassion behind such an undertaking, K of C Financial Secretary Miciak proposed it to his council and received an enthusiastic “yes” from his brother Knights. 

Father Bede Kim, who serves as pastor to both Our Lady of Victories and St. Edward the Confessor parishes, was an enthusiastic proponent of the Christmas card collection and encouraged Deacon O’Boyle to appeal to the congregations at all Masses. The priest, himself a third degree member of the Knights and chaplain of the council, shared how sending the cards to the prison benefitted both the inmates and his congregation. 

“By engaging with those in prison, the parish fosters a sense of unity and solidarity with individuals who are often marginalized,” Father Kim stated. “We understand how important it is for inmates to stay connected with their families and loved ones during the Christmas season. We see this as one of many meaningful ways to reach out to inmates, demonstrating that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love or the community of faith.” 

That Hunterdon County community of faith – members of Our Lady of Victories, St. Edward the Confessor, Knights of Columbus, and others – unearthed and donated their own stashes of both religious and secular Christmas cards for the project and purchased boxes in the weeks before Nov. 18 distribution at the prison, Miciak reported. Some 2,700 cards and envelopes overflowed multiple plastic storage bins, prompting one East Jersey State Prison postal official to laughingly complain to Deacon O’Boyle about the “avalanche” in the prison’s mailroom.

The success of the project assured, Deacon O’Boyle and the Knights plan to donate the cards again next Christmas season.

“Going forward, we’re all going to do this every year,” Miciak said, “This is a small but inspirational tale of Christian charity.” Deacon O’Boyle added, “The whole parish and the council warmed up to it. At the very least, we should be praying for [the inmates] and supporting these Corporal Works of Mercy.”

Father Kim concluded, “Ministering to prisoners enables a parish to live out the Gospel in a powerful and tangible way, transforming not only the lives of inmates but also deepening the faith and compassion of those who serve.”