Mercy Alert! Prisoners Need Breviaries!

One spiritual work of mercy is to "visit the imprisoned", at times rendered to "free the imprisoned" .

In America, Catholic response to the needs of prisoners lags sadly behind the response of many protestant denominations. But one very bright spot is Dismas Minstry, a group I've mentioned several times before on this blog.

Dismas Ministry aids prisoners in many ways, including giving them study courses in the Catholic faith, the Bible, and Catholic Prayer. After completing this last course, some  prisoners wish to pray the Liturgy of the Hours on a daily basis.

They need breviaries, since prisoners are not allowed to have smart phones or regular computer access for the free online breviaries.

We Coffee&Canticles people have "adopted" this aspect of Dismas Ministry. That means when director Ron Zeilinger gets a request from a prisoner for a single or four volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours, he turns to us as First Responders. So far, you wonderful people have provided a good number of books to deserving prisoners who are thirsting to sanctify their hours with the psalms, scriptures, and readings the Church provides.

Today I received a new email from Ron:

Hello Daria,

We have  had a couple requests for the full set of the Liturgy of Hours from inmates. I thought I would notify you and ask if you might send out an appeal to your readers. We don’t want to burden the generosity of these good people however, and if necessary, will send them the shorter version of Christian Prayer. We have a couple of those on hand.

Blessings and thanks,

Ron 

Ron Zeilinger, DirectorDismasMINISTRYPO Box 070363
Milwaukee WI 53207

I wrote back to Ron saying I'd get right on this. 

If these prisoners want the four volume breviaries, I think they should have them. They need the beauty and spiritual food that the Office of Readings can supply. 

Last time I checked, the best price for single or four volume sets was found at Barnes and Noble.  Today I see that they are a bit cheaper at Amazon.  Or, if it's easier for you, just send the price of the breviaries (or a smaller amount that you can afford) directly to Ron at Dismas Ministry, using Paypal Include a note to let him know what it's for, or just write "Coffee&Canticles Breviary fund". 

If you order from a source that requires a street address for UPS delivery, use this address:  Ron Zeilinger, Dismas Ministry, 3195 S. Superior St. ,  Suite 101L, Milwaukee, WI 53207

Another thought:  prisoners are not picky! If you have a four volume set that you are not using, send that! 

Also please let us know in the comments below or a private message to me if you are doing this. The sooner we know, the sooner Ron can relax. My private email is: thesockeys "at" gmail "dot" com.  

Many thanks. 

Look to the Liturgy (not Twitter) for Answers

I just had to share this lovely post from Vultus Christi.  I had written recently about those instances where we find a line in the day's Office that speaks to us personally. But this post takes that idea and runs with it with greater depth. The hook is the turmoil surrounding this week's Synod on the Family in Rome:  how many of us are less than edified by stories of various machinations and worried about possible outcomes. But this author has the right perspective on it all:

Before going down to Vespers last evening, I remarked to Father Benedict that I was far more interested in what the Magnificat Antiphon would be than in the latest tweets about the Synod. I was not disappointed. 

So go read the rest.  

Take note that the monastery where the author resides is using  the traditional (Extraordinary form) breviary and missal, so you will not find his quotes from yesterday's mass and vespers to match your Christian Prayer breviary!