FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Paul Snatchko
(412) 722-2907 (cell / text)
[email protected]

NEW YORK – The Paulist Fathers announce that Dismas Ministry has been entrusted with the mission of Paulist Prison Ministries to enhance pastoral outreach, faith formation, and ministry services for chaplains and incarcerated individuals.

Founded in 1994 by the late Paulist Fr. Thomas Comber, Paulist Prison Ministries provided newsletters in English and Spanish called “Let’s Talk” / “Hablemos” that at one point reached more than 900 prisons and tens of thousands of individuals. The ministry also distributed thousands of Bibles, pamphlets, and booklets each year.

Paulist Prison Ministries had previously been part of Paulist Evangelization Ministries, which completed its mission in December, 2024. Paulist Fr. Frank DeSiano, former president of Paulist Evangelization Ministries, has been appointed to the Dismas Ministry Board of Directors.

Dismas Ministry was established during the Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2000 in Milwaukee, WI. Since 2013, it has provided resources in English and Spanish in all 50 states. Its offerings include Bibles, prayer cards, correspondence courses, and more.

“We are profoundly grateful to Dismas Ministry for carrying on the 30-year mission of Paulist Prison Ministries,” said Paulist Fr. René Constanza, president of the Paulist Fathers. “We believe Paulist Prison Ministries’ various resources will be a beneficial addition to Dismas Ministry’s already-robust print and digital outreach.”

“We look forward to seeing Dismas Ministry grow and flourish in the years to come as it fulfills Christ’s teaching in the Gospel of Matthew: ‘I was in prison and you visited me,’” said Fr. Constanza.

“Dismas Ministry is honored to carry on the mission of Paulist Prison Ministries. This marks a transformative moment for Dismas Ministry and allows us to expand our reach and deepen our commitment to serve the spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters behind bars,” said Juliann Joerres, Executive Director of Dismas Ministry. “This effort will ensure that the Word of God reaches those who need it most, offering hope, healing, and the assurance that they are never forgotten. It also allows supporters to continue championing the same mission, building on the excellent work of Paulist Prison Ministries.”

“Both Dismas Ministry and the Paulist Fathers are rooted in a shared mission of hope, compassion, and restoration,” Ms. Joerres added. “By carrying on the mission of Paulist Prison Ministries, we will amplify our impact, bringing the light of faith and the transformative power of God’s Word to hearts longing for redemption within prison walls. This will also ensure that chaplains who have relied on Paulist Prison Ministries can continue to meet the needs of their incarcerated flock with confidence and support, while those in prison remain held in the loving and nurturing arms of the Catholic faith.”

About the Paulist Fathers

Established in 1858, the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle (“the Paulist Fathers”) was the first society of Catholic priests founded in the United States.

The society seeks to introduce the Good News of Jesus Christ to people beyond the Church walls, and to accompany Catholics who feel apart from the Church, through missions, media, campus ministries, parishes, downtown centers, the arts, and more.

The society’s media ministries include: Paulist Press, an award-winning Catholic publishing company that releases a wide variety of titles each year for adults and children; Paulist Productions, an Emmy Award-winning creator of films and television programs; and Busted Halo, an innovative website and radio program on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel.

The society leads parishes and centers in Austin, TX; Boston; Chicago; Grand Rapids, MI; Horseshoe Bay, TX; Knoxville, TN; Los Angeles; New York City; Rome, Italy; San Diego; and San Francisco.

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