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Herald Malaysia
5 days ago
- General
- Herald Malaysia
A letter home
For many former inmates, the hardest part of freedom is not walking out of prison – it's walking back into the lives of the people they love. Aug 15, 2025 John Kor and a ministry member spending time with some former inmates during the Touch Life Project. By Herbert GomezFor many former inmates, the hardest part of freedom is not walking out of prison – it's walking back into the lives of the people they love. Years of absence, addiction or crime can leave wounds not easily healed. Many carry the burden of guilt, believing they've brought shame upon their families and are no longer welcome. But even in the darkest chapters, grace can write a new story. The Prison Ministry of the Church of the Holy Family, Kajang, has long walked alongside inmates through Bible sharing, counselling and visits. But this year, they went one step further – with a bold initiative called the Touch Life Project. Designed to rekindle fractured family ties and offer ongoing support beyond prison walls, the Prison Ministry adopted the Second Chance Community Home, a halfway house for recently released inmates, for this project. As Father's Day approached in June, Ministry chairman, John Kor and team members visited the Home, with a simple but powerful invitation – write a letter to your father. Express your love. Say what's never been said. Ask for forgiveness. For many, it felt like an impossible task. How do you write to a father you've disappointed? How do you reach out when silence has filled the gap for years? Of the 14 men living there, only two – Alvin and Richard (names changed for privacy) – found the courage to take up the challenge. For the rest, the emotional weight was simply too much. Many still faced deep uncertainty about shelter, jobs and their place in a world that had moved on. The idea of reconnecting with a father they had hurt – or hadn't seen in years – was almost unbearable. With encouragement and prayer, Alvin and Richard sat down, nervous and hesitant. 'Thoughts raced through our minds,' they later shared. 'We didn't know how to begin, or how our fathers would respond. But we asked God for courage and wrote honestly from the heart.' With trembling hands, they sealed the letters, each word soaked in remorse, longing and love. Along with the letters, the ministry included a simple Father's Day gift – a new T-shirt, symbolic of a son's gesture of reconciliation. The packages were sent with hope, timed to arrive before Father's Day. Three weeks later, when the ministry team returned, Alvin and Richard had something beautiful to share. Richard, anxious yet hopeful, dialled his father the night before Father's Day. 'My father was overjoyed,' Richard recalled with emotion. 'He never expected anything from me – let alone a heartfelt letter and a gift.' At first, his father thought someone else had written it. 'I had to convince him it was me. He thanked me for the T-shirt and promised to wear it for dinner on Father's Day. He ended the call telling me to take care of myself … something I hadn't heard in a long time. Alvin's story was equally moving. 'I was sure my father would shout at me,' Alvin admitted. 'Instead, he was speechless … in a good way. He told me he was proud of my effort to change and rebuild our relationship – something he never thought would happen.' Alvin then proudly showed the team a photo of his father – smiling, wearing the T-shirt, the letter in hand. The Touch Life Project is more than an initiative – it's a ministry of second chances. Inspired by the example of St Maximilian Kolbe, patron saint of the Prison Ministry, members are committed to walking with the least, the last and the lost – offering not just in-prison care, but after prison restoration and family healing. To honour their patron, the Prison Ministry will animate the feast day Mass of St Maximilian Kolbe at the Church of the Holy Family, Kajang on Sunday, August 17 – celebrating his legacy of selfless love and the enduring mission to restore what the world has written off. For Alvin, Richard and others still waiting for healing, this journey is just beginning. But thanks to the quiet faith of a few and the bold love of a community, they now know – no one is too far gone for grace. And even the most broken stories can be rewritten – one letter, one call, one prayer at a time.
Herald Malaysia
20-06-2025
- Herald Malaysia
Crime prevention and sentencing: A wake-up call for youth!
A vital awareness talk titled Crime Prevention and the Sentences If Convicted was held recently at the Pastoral Centre of Christ the King Church, Sungai Petani. Jun 20, 2025 Members of the Prison Ministry and the IPD Kuala Muda officers. KEDAH: A vital awareness talk titled Crime Prevention and the Sentences If Convicted was held recently at the Pastoral Centre of Christ the King Church, Sungai Petani. The event aimed to educate youths on the harsh realities and legal consequences of engaging in criminal activities. Organised by the Prison Ministry of Christ the King (CTK) Church, the session was attended by students from Form 1 to Form 5, along with their catechism teachers and parents. A distinguished panel of officers from IPD Kuala Muda led the talk, covering a wide range of critical topics, including: • Drug abuse and its severe penalties; • School fights and bullying, and the legal implications involved; • Commercial crimes such as online scams; • Theft of motorcycles and cars, and house break-ins; • Use of the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) app for crime reporting and prevention. The officers emphasised that many crimes occur due to negligence and urged both students and their parents/guardians to stay vigilant, responsible, and respectful of the law. This talk not only served as an eye-opener but also as a timely call to action—encouraging young people to embrace a safe, law-abiding, and faith-guided way of life. The Parish Prison Ministry (PDPM) extends its gratitude to Fr Victor Louis, parish priest, for his blessings and support, even while he was away at the Vatican during the event. Lourdes Stanislaus Benjamin
