Blog posts and original articles
The over 1,300 people in prison we serve are used to receiving spiritual “blessings” in the mail, but February is a special month. February is the only time everyone receives an icon sprinkled with holy water. Prepare and quiet yourself, the “Blessing of the Cells” service pamphlet begins. Set up your icons, and place the […]
Fr. John Kowalczyk, OCPM Director of Training and Spiritual Care, has gotten used to seeing inmates at their absolute worst.When admitted to the Mental Health Unit (MHU) of Pennsylvania’s SCI Waymart, inmates have a complete break from reality. They are a danger to themselves and others. “The day I met Ezra, he had written an […]
For our brothers and sisters in prison, there is no greater need than having a consistent, loving, Christian presence in their lives. However, providing this kind of long-term relationship is not easy to achieve in prison. Many prisons are in very rural places, with the closest Orthodox church being hours away. Most Orthodox clergy are hard pressed […]
After an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, Bob Born was asked if he would like to also volunteer at the first faith-based prison unit in the United States, the Carol Vance Unit in Texas. He was reluctant at first, but he said ‘yes’ anyway. Now, after connecting with the founder of OCPM, Fr. Duane Pederson, his […]
Michael Kosanovich was a Special Agent for the FBI and was promoted to FBI headquarters to work International Terrorism matters just prior to the 9/11 attacks in Washington D.C. and New York. In 2003 Michael was assigned to Chicago as a Terrorism Supervisor and in 2010 was promoted to the number two position in the […]
Below is the last installment of our four-part series of journal entries from OCPM’s Prison Relationship Manager during his internship with OCPM and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS). If you haven’t already, make sure to read Part One and Part Two and Part Three of Toby John’s Prison Ministry Journal. March 22 This day was significantly different from […]
The Assembly of Bishops has blessed July 30, 2023 as Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday (PMAS), when hundreds of Orthodox Christian churches of all jurisdictions across the United States will recognize and share about the importance of prison ministry for the life of the Church. To help get us into PMAS spirit, enjoy this beautiful testimony […]
Below is Part Three in a new four-part series of journal entries from OCPM’s Prison Relationship Manager during his internship with OCPM and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS). If you haven’t already, make sure to read Part One and Part Two of Toby John’s Prison Ministry Journal. Tuesday, February 28 – March 1, 2023 […]
OCPM recently held a staff retreat in Pennsylvania. We had the privilege of visiting with seminarians, along with the Dean at St. Tikhon’s Seminary and the Abbott at St. Tikhon’s Monastery. We also visited SCI Waymart, a nearby prison, escorted by Fr. John Kowalczyk and Fr. Stephen Powley, Co-Directors of Training and Spiritual Care at […]
Below is Part Two in a new four-part series of journal entries from OCPM’s Prison Relationship Manager during his internship with OCPM and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS). If you haven’t already, make sure to read Part One of Toby John’s Prison Journal. Friday, February 10 On this day, we began to hold Vespers […]