The above image is from an Abraham House capital campaign brochure. The water color Free Me Lord behind Fr. Raphael was presented by an inmate named Baptista on the 25th anniversary of the co-founder's priesthood. The Catholic Worker article had one graphic with the text -- a C. S. Lewis quote. For design and informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster. On this NYCHS website, the top image above first appeared on Part 3 of Abraham House history pieces. Click image to access.

Abraham House, a small community dedicated to supporting prisoners and their families as they make the critical transition out of prison, has a deeply personalist philosophy of operating as an extended family.

The community began 20 years ago through the efforts of chaplains Sister Simone Ponnet and Father Pierre Raphael and other religious working as chaplains at New York City’s Rikers Island prison [10-jail complex], one of the largest in the U.S.

Some corrections officers joined them. They all shared the same discouragement at the recidivism they witnessed and they set out to create a more effective and humane response than the exclusive reliance on incarceration.

Today, their remarkable community, rooted in the still grindingly poor South Bronx, occupies five narrow lots on Willis Avenue.

The simple, solidly renovated buildings with a central, light-filled chapel on a large combined second floor, looking out over the swaying trees in the backyards, shelter diverse but organically interconnected ministries.

These include a dozen prisoners in the alternative-to-incarceration program, a Family and Pastoral Center which offers food, clothing, emergency services and counseling

The above image of Sister Sister Simone Ponnet counseling is from the front cover of the capital campaign brochure. Below is a photo from the News From Abraham House newsletter's Winter 2004 issue showing Sr. Simone welcoming retired Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder, left, to the Abraham House annual dinner. The Catholic Worker article had one graphic with the text -- a C. S. Lewis quote. For design and informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster. On this NYCHS website, the top image above first appeared on Part 3 of Abraham House history pieces. Click image to access.On this NYCHS website, the bottom image above first appeared on Part 2 of Abraham House history pieces. Click image to access.

(e.g. substance abuse, spousal abuse, parenting, legal and housing), adult education and immigrant services and surely the most important ministry in terms of the future, an after-school program for the children and relatives of prisoners.

Hunger, frequently, is the first and fundamental need addressed at Abraham House.

The food pantry and the hot meals program they provide serve 75,000 meals each year to the men, women and children of the neighborhood.

The after-school program is perceived as especially vital from a long-term perspective because frustration, anger, shame and a sense of futility many times afflict the families of prisoners and put them at risk.

A solid education with extra tutoring in the essentials of reading and writing, as well as art, music and sports provide the hope and necessary means to break the cycle.

All of these ministries are labor intensive.

The panoply of promising programs that Abraham House has so creatively developed is supported and sustained by the continuous dedication of its staff and volunteers and by the spirituality and Gospel-inspired leadership of its founders.

Father Pierre wrote recently about an extraordinary event in the life of a long-incarcerated prisoner on whose behalf he had worked for many years and who now resides at Abraham House.

Click image of Cardinal Egan from the Archdiocese of NY website for his March 6, 2003 report referencing Abraham House. The Catholic Worker article had one graphic with the text -- a C. S. Lewis quote. For design and informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster.

Father Pierre was even able to enlist the aid of Cardinal Egan in his campaign.

Here is his account:

“Anyway, if I get out, it will be a miracle.”

How many times over the last 26 years had Severino not spoken that word “miracle?”

How many times had he hoped for it, had risked uttering it, to the point of being captivated by it?

“Nelson Mandela got out after 27 years. And he was 76 years old at the time and, now, he’s 90. Me, I’m 66 so there’s a future. . . "

His would be a future purified by fire.

Above is an image of Fishkill Correctional Facility from which Inmate #82A0564 Severino Diaz (dob 1/08/1940) was paroled 6/12/06, having entered the state prison system 2/02/1982 on an A1 felony sentence of 15 years-to-life. Catholic Worker article had 1 graphic with the text -- a C.S. Lewis quote. For design & informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster. The above image appears on this NYCHS site with a historical profile of Fishkill CF. Click image to access.

On Monday the 17th of April 2006, in the very middle of the Easter season, Severino Diaz gave colossal witness to the power of the Cross of Salvation.

This took place on the day on which the Gospel gave us the words about the two women at the empty tomb of Jesus, who were overcome with fear and joy at the same time (“half fearful and half joyful” in my translation of Matthew 28:8).

On that day, Severino was led to an isolated and locked room of the prison [Fishkill]. It was 8 o’clock in the morning. He was left there, alone, until 2 in the afternoon.

Severino’s heart was beating like a jackhammer. He heard banging noises everywhere and any sense of joy was very distant.

A sense of fear stealthily invaded everything.

Finally, the door opened and they came to get him. He entered an office where three men in civilian clothes were waiting for him.

A fourth man came in. It was the Superintendent, the director of the prison.

The Catholic Worker article had the above graphic with the text.

Normally he did not participate in these review examinations. But, for this occasion, he was present. As a friend? As an enemy? Severino had no way of knowing.

The atmosphere in the room is very professional, sober, low-key and cold. It lasted this way for half an hour.

But, as he was leaving the room first, the Superintendent, who had not spoken once throughout the whole time, made an unusual gesture. He gave Severino two friendly pats on the shoulder.

Was this some kind of unimaginable premonition? Our friend, Severino Diaz walked back to the shadow-world of his prison like an automaton. Had it all been a dream?

At 7:15 that evening the prison authorities telephoned us here at Abraham House. There were tears of joy, here, while at that moment, Severino himself still had no idea of what had happened.

I telephoned his son, Raymond, who lives in Atlanta. On past occasions on the telephone, Raymond had always been very cautious, almost made of stone, about the subject of his father’s fateful incarceration.

Above is an uncaptioned images from an "Abraham House: An Alternative to Incarceration" brochure. The Catholic Worker article had one graphic with the text -- a C. S. Lewis quote. For design and informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster. On this NYCHS website, the image above first appeared on Part 2 of Abraham House history pieces. Click image to access.

Over the years, Raymond had received too many wounds of disappointment to still have reason to hope.

He preferred to say nothing, preferred to protect himself against let-downs, against the worst.

But this time it was totally different. I had never heard Raymond speak in this way before. He could not stop himself from exclaiming “Wow, wow, wow

In the background I could hear Raymond’s whole household vibrating.... And, for the first time, I heard him speak the word, “grandfather” to his own children.

It was only at eight o’clock the next morning that Severino himself heard the announcement about his “return to society”

I do not know how his sister in Florida did it, but, through her, I was able to get in contact with Severino by telephone. I told him that I would see him that Saturday.

Image above from Abraham House newsletter of 2/28/86, then called The Link. The Catholic Worker article had 1 graphic with the text -- a C. S. Lewis quote. For design and informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster. On this NYCHS website, the image above first appeared on Part 3 of Abraham House history pieces. Click image to access.

I have to pinch myself to really believe that that prison visit truly took place.

Severino said that he felt confused, as if he were “walking on air.”

But there he was, indeed, the prison director, who came over to our table to shake our hands. He congratulated our friend, Severino, on what was about to happen.

Both Severino’s and my reddened eyes gave an eloquent witness to that extraordinary moment.

We invited the prison director to come and visit us at Abraham House.

Above is a reduced version of the nameplate from the first issue of News From Abraham House. The Catholic Worker article had 1 graphic with the text -- a C. S. Lewis quote. For design and informational purposes, relevant images have been added and captioned by the NYCHS webmaster. On this NYCHS website, the image above first appeared on Part 2 of Abraham House history pieces. Click image to access.

While he is waiting for his administrative paperwork to be processed, which will give the date of his release from prison (probably in June), Severino Diaz, a living miracle, has requested that, during these days of transition, he be allowed to continue teaching his class in prison which is titled, “How to Control Your Anger.” This is a class which he had given for many years.