26/01/2017
There is love in her eyes, motherly affection in her voice and genuine warmth emanating out of Sister Mary Jane SFN. The very characteristics, perhaps, that have made her such an endearing personality, not just to those who come in contact with her, but also to a very special set of people, prisoners. From the convicts housed at the Central Jail at Aguada to the undertrials at Sada jail in Vasco to those lodged in the prison cells at Mapusa, Margao and Panjim, as the coordinator of the Goa unit of the Prison Ministry, Sister Jane, as she is affectionately called, is a regular and comforting presence. A shoulder to cry on, a patient listening ear, a friend in need, a caring motherly figure and a link to God, she is this and much more to those society tends to shy away from.
It was a mission that began taking roots in 1985. “Kiran Bedi was invited to talk to us at a Major Superiors meeting at the Goregaon Seminary. She spoke beautifully about how prison was not a place of punishment, but rehabilitation and how we all have to help prisoners and give them a non-judgmental listening ear. It was an eye opener. Till then, I personally had a wrong notion about prisoners, that they have done something bad, are a danger to society and hence, need to be punished. Upon introspection, I realized how wrong I was and that as a religious person, I have to reach out to the most needy, the least loved and the forgotten,” Sister Jane recalls.
The seed that was sown in 1985 eventually took root in Goa in 1997 when on October 19, she, along with a few like-minded people, began the Goa unit of the Prison Ministry. Sister Jane was unanimously selected as coordinator, a post she still holds, and one that she cherishes, perhaps most of all.
Sr Jane fondly recollects the first programme the Prison Ministry organized for the prisoners. “It was during Christmas. The one important message I had for them was that we were all there because we love them. They were very touched by what we did and said. In fact, one of the prisoners gave us a very emotional vote of thanks. We were touched,” she says.
There is never a dull moment in the week for Sister Jane. If she’s not out and about visiting her “beloveds”, she is in office working on correspondence on their behalf, be it for parole to enable them to visit home, or finding jobs that will enable those acquitted to be gainfully rehabilitated back in society, or liaising with jail officials for permission for some activity she may have on her mind for the inmates, it’s all in a day’s work for the nun.
One of the prison ministry’s pet projects is literacy work. In fact, it has been so well received by most inmates that some have completed short-term courses through the Indira Gandhi National Open University and a handful are even pursuing their graduation through the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University. “For those less academically inclined, there are a host of skills training courses regularly conducted right from paper bag making to thermocol decoration, candle making, handicraft and clay moulding. To help them find gainful employment upon the completion of their prison term or acquittal, we organise courses like bakery, plumbing, electrical training and music. We have also set up a computer training room for them,” she says.
Some of their other activities are prayer and sharing sessions and organising games and festive celebrations for the inmates. “Games, sing-song sessions and skit competitions, we have found, are among the best ways to increase their interaction. It is amazing to see the skits they plan and put up. Right from conceptualizing the idea to writing the script to directing, they do it all, and with so much enthusiasm. One thing we have found is that through such activities, prisoners, especially the new ones, tend to open up and share with us. Prayer sessions are also regularly conducted,” she says.
Apart from this, the prison ministry, an entirely voluntary organization, also consists of trained counsellors. Sometimes, she says, especially with new prisoners, it’s difficult to talk to them or counsel them. “There is so much anger, torment and fear in them and they just clam up. It takes time, patience and consistent effort, but eventually we manage to crack that tough exterior they portray,” she explains.
Currently Sr Jane is busy with the Christmas programme being organized by the Prison Ministry across the various jails in the state. “There are lot of activities including games for the prisoners. Keeping with the sentiments and festivities of the season we also distribute a range of traditional Goan sweets to them,” she says.
Interestingly, part of Sister Jane’s mission also involves meeting families of both prisoners and the victims. While the prisoners have their own safe spot in Sister Jane’s magnanimous heart, a rather large part of it is dedicated to yet another group of special people, children born to prisoners inside the jail. “It’s both a heart-rending and astounding moment when we take these children away from their mothers when they turn three years old. Heart-rending to see them being separated from their mothers, but astounding to see the courage in their eyes, despite knowing that they will probably never see her again,” she says.
Sister Jane keeps these young boys and girls in her custody till they are ready to begin schooling. They are then housed in various boarding schools across the state where they are educated and groomed into productive and contributing members of society. “If and when the mothers are acquitted, it is the child who is given the option of going to her or staying with us and completing their education. As far as possible, we encourage them to pursue their studies. The grown-up ones are today well settled in their jobs and careers, some even working abroad,” Sister Jane says proudly, adding that they always keep in touch with her through phone calls, letters and visits. Her dedication to this mission is one, Sister Jane says, she will continue till her last breath. “I am not getting younger. I hope and pray that they find a replacement for me soon enough so that I can train and pass on my experience gained over the decades,” she says. But even when that does eventually happen, Sister Jane will undoubtedly always remain the one person whom prisoners love, adore and cherish, their ray of hope.
