Archbishop Lori celebrates Mass for Maryland inmates

Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated Mass for approximately 75 inmates at the Maryland Correctional Training Center in Hagerstown on Oct. 31. This was the first time the archbishop has celebrated Mass inside a correctional facility.

During the liturgy held in a prison gymnasium, Archbishop Lori told the men that their incarceration does not remove their dignity or their mission in the eyes of God. He referenced St. Paul to explain that a person can find freedom in prison if their heart and mind are anchored in something the state cannot take away.

Deacon Seigfried Presberry, the coordinator of prison ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, noted that the archbishop has previously reached out to incarcerated individuals through written reflections. Presberry stated that a Christmas letter written by the archbishop two years ago helped prevent an inmate from committing suicide.