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SAD NEWS FROM DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

THE CHAPLAINCY COMMUNITY OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO IS MOURNING

Announcing the Passing of National President of Prison Fellowship International, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It is with the deepest sadness that we share the news of the passing of the Reverend Doctor John Medard Kalonda Bin Baruani who has gone to the Everlasting Father’s House.  Dr John died on Wednesday, September 02, 2020 and was buried on Wednesday 09 September 2020 in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga province.

The representatives of IPCA Africa presents their condolences to the family of Reverend John in particular, and to all involved in chaplaincy in the DRCongo who knew and worked with him

May the Lord our God console them and strengthen them by the Holy Spirit in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

La communauté des aumôneries de la République démocratique du Congo est en deuil.

Annonce du décès du président national de Prison Fellowship International, de la République démocratique du Congo.

C’est avec la plus profonde tristesse que nous vous annonçons le décès du révérend docteur John Medard Kalonda Bin Baruani, qui s’est rendu à la Maison du Père éternel. Le Dr John est décédé le mercredi 02 septembre 2020 et a été inhumé le mercredi 09 septembre 2020 à Lubumbashi, dans la province du Haut-Katanga.

Les représentants d’IPCA Afrique présentent ses condoléances à la famille du révérend John en particulier, et à tous ceux impliqués dans l’aumônerie en RDCongo qui l’ont connu et travaillé avec lui

Que l’Eternel notre Dieu les console et les fortifie par le Saint-Esprit au Nom de Jésus-Christ notre Seigneur et Sauveur.

Update from the President of IPCA

On behalf of your IPCA Worldwide Steering Committee I take great pleasure in ANNOUNCING that the next IPCA Worldwide Conference will be in Bangkok THAILAND in November 2020 from Thursday 5th to Tuesday 10th.  (Details, Costs and Registrations will be announced in early 2019).

We are so excited as this will be the first time that IPCA Worldwide has been able to host its conference in our ASIA REGION

 

The THEME of our conference will be ‘A Living Hope’.

1 Peter 1:3 NIV.

“Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

 

God Bless you and may God keep you safe and well.

Rev Rod Moore.           IPCA President

Worldwide Steering Committee in Bangkok to prepare for IPCA VIII in 2020

Worldwide Steering Committee members take time to visit Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institution with local prison chaplains during their session in Bangkok, November 2019, whilst preparing for the forthcoming IPCA VIII Worldwide Conference to be held in Bangkok in November 2020 – details here soon!

This year’s IPCA Global Prayer Day resource has been prepared by Thailand.

Full details will be uploaded here soon: in the meantime, you can check out the programme on the IPCA Europe site

“Faith in Justice: from sentence to community” – IPCA Europe Interim Conference, Kjiv (Ukraine), April 2018

On April 24-27 2018, IPCA Europe organised an Interim Conference in Kjiv, Ukraine, on the subject of “Faith in Justice: from sentence to community”. Some 60 delegates from 16 countries took part. Some sessions were held in the Ukranian Parliament and others at the Justice Ministry. A visit to a prison in Kjiv was also organised.

The event was a way of supporting chaplains in Eastern Europe and more particularly in Ukraine, as well as providing prison authorities with chaplains’ perspectives on criminal justice systems.

A report on the conference can be found here. You can read the formal conference declaration here.

For more details and news from IPCA Europe, visit the region’s website.

Delegates at the IPCA Europe Interim Conference in Kjiv, Ukraine, April 2018: “Faith in Justice: from sentence to community”

IPCA co-hosts UN Side Event, New York, February 1, 2018

Interfaith Prison Partnership (formerly known as Presbytery Prison Partnership) has been approved to organize its second side event at the United Nations. The event is being co-hosted by:

  • The Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations
  • The International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA),which has about two-thousand members serving as Prison Chaplains

in more than fifty countries.

  • Citizens United for the Return of Errants (CURE), which has thirty-nine chapters in the US and representatives in close to thirty countries. CURE engages in legislative prison reform efforts in the US. To learn more about CURE, click here

 

Please join us for:

A Human Dignity and Faith Perspective on the Eradication of Poverty as One of the Main Root Causes of Incarceration.

Date: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Location: United Nations Headquarters

First Avenue between 42nd Street and 48th Street, New York, NY

Worldwide Steering Committee meeting

Members of the World Wide Steering Committee with IPCA Europe vice-president, meeting in Woking, UK, September 2017.

The International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA/Worldwide) and Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) has hosted a panel discussion on the direct correlation between poverty and those who comprise the prison population.  We have highlighted the fact that in most countries, the prison population is largely representative of the lowest economic strata within their respective countries.    Rehabilitation and Reentry Efforts for this population, while in prison, can significantly reduce their return rate to prison.  This reduced recidivism rate is especially successful in cases where Returning Citizens are exposed to faith-based organizations which provide guidance and support for their Reentry efforts.    Those who have been invited to be on the panel are leaders in this field with practical experience within the American system.  They have address various aspects of the aforementioned approaches ranging from artistic, vocational and academic exposure while in prison; to job skill training, interview techniques, and financial planning to improve their chances of success.  A model of this nature has been in practice for over twenty years in Sing-Sing prison.  While the national average of recidivism in the United States is about 50%, the recidivism rate of those who have participated in the Sing-Sing model is less than 5%.  With these documented results, this is one example of how it is possible to break the cycle of poverty – prison – poverty – prison – poverty – prison.

The IPCA-CURE statement on this occasion is to be found here.
A report on the side event is to be found here.

Left to right: Hans Hallundbaek, Jean-Didier M’boyo, H.E. Mr. Ib Petersen (Danish ambassador to the UN), CURE chairman Charlie Sullivan and Julie Garfieldt, Senior Human Rights Policy Adviser, Permanent Mission of Denmark.

The International Prison Chaplains’ Association and Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants, as non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, together submitted the following statement to its Secretary-General , on

A Human Dignity and Faith Perspective on the Eradication of Poverty for the Incarcerated Population of the World

In accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31, the Secretary-General has agreed to circulate this statement.

This is the first statement by IPCA to be accepted in this way, marking a significant milestone in IPCA’s nascent work as a UN-recognised NGO.

The full statement can be read here.

This page brings news from prisons around the world. Articles linked here do not necessarily reflect the views of IPCA

While the UK and much of the world struggles with overcrowded prisons, the Netherlands has the opposite problem. It is actually short of people to lock up. In the past few years 19 prisons have closed down and more are slated for closure next year. How has this happened – and why do some people think it’s a problem?

  • Read this BBC article to find out more

IPCA Europe Conference11th – 13th June 2023

April 27, 2023 Upcoming Events

Livestream from Llandudno, North Wales The IPCA Europe Committee are delighted to announce that booking is now open for the free livestream of the IPCA Europe 2023 Conference. Register now for free Here Our conference, held in Llandudno UK will be an opportunity for Prison Chaplains from across Europe and the Middle East to join […]

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Prison Chaplaincy in Jars of Clay

April 28, 2021 Uncategorised

Prison Chaplaincy in Jars of Clay 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that […]

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Former IPCA President Rod Moore receives the Order of Australia Medal

December 7, 2020 Uncategorised

Former IPCA Worldwide President Rev. Rod Moore recently attended an official ceremony to receive the Order of Australia Medal for “service to the community through chaplaincy roles in corrective institutions”. The honour recognised Rod’s extraordinary journey from a background of drugs, alcohol, and outlaw motorcycle gangs to Anglican priest and prison chaplain. As one journalist […]

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Soap and Salvation

December 6, 2020 Uncategorised

by Hans Hallundbaek It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a community to Adopt-A-Prison. Heeding God’s greatest commandment to “love your neighbor,” the prison chaplain travels to colleges, hospitals, and corporate settings, as well as to war fronts, and into the fearful setting of the multitude of prisons, which dot the […]

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IPP returns to the United Nations

March 10, 2024 Uncategorised

Read below the full report fom our partner organisation Interfaith Prison Partnership (IPP) who made such a valuable contribution to our UN Side Event in New York. It was a privilege for IPCA to give these thought leaders in innovative and reforming approaches to prison systems a platform at this level! Speakers, sponsors and IPP […]

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2023, August 25 – IPCA Worldwide Day of Prayer for Prison Ministry

August 5, 2023 Upcoming Events

Register Now here Every year, IPCA holds an international day of prayer for prison ministry around the world. This year, our online prayer meeting will be hosted by IPCA Oceania representatives. Please join us on Zoom for an hour in prayer for prisons and prison chaplains around the world. There are two time options – […]

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IPCA Blogpost July 2021 – “I’ve had enough Lord” (David Buick)

August 3, 2021 Uncategorised

At times of fatigue I’m constantly drawn to the story of Elijah as he flees into the desert after being threatened by Jezebel. Can there be any of us who at one time or another have not echoed his prayer, “I’ve had enough, Lord” (1 Kings 19:4)? As chaplains, we are constantly giving – and […]

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IPCA Blog Post – June 2021 – Terje Salvigsen

June 29, 2021 Uncategorised

Status quo for the Nordic prison system How the high security system operates and how it helps inmates with long sentences. I am a chaplain working in Ringerike prison in Norway, a high security prison with 160 single rooms. I have also worked a couple of years in low security prisons.My knowledge is of course […]

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IPCA Blog May 2021 – ‘A Radical Love’

June 3, 2021 Uncategorised

A RADICAL LOVE (A Journey Towards Healing and Forgiveness) by Gerry V. Bernabe* “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..” (the Lord’s Prayer) These are the words found in the very prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ taught us as the proper […]

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Water (of life) always finds a way

January 27, 2021 Uncategorised

David Buick In addition to the challenges on a personal level, the Covid-19 pandemic has involved a steep new learning curve for chaplains in terms of how they interact with prisoners. The access we have to prisons varies widely between countries, all the more so during the health crisis, but in my experience, hearing others’ […]

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IPCA Worldwide Online Symposium – Keep Hope Alive

October 12, 2020 Uncategorised

We’re pleased to invite you to register for our virtual international symposium, “Keep Hope Alive”. The keynote event in this symposium is our worldwide webinar on Wednesday November 11 at 13:00 UTC (Greenwich). Signup is via Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ipca-worldwide-online-symposium-registration-124258874639 Please check what local time this is for you, for example by using https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/ Held on Zoom, […]

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IPCA News

September 29, 2020 Uncategorised
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News update “Adopt-A-Prison”

December 13, 2019 Uncategorised

I would like to give a quick update on the “Adopt-A-Prison” project which we recently have introduced between our local faith and civic community and our two local women’s prison in the township of Bedford (with a combined inmate of population over one thousand). As mentioned earlier we had a very successful Town Hall meeting […]

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Far from soaring cathedrals, prisoners await Pope Francis’ message of hope – LA Times

September 27, 2015 Uncategorised

Ed Gilchrist grew up in the rough Philly neighborhood of Kensington, dealing drugs “as soon as I was old enough to count money.” Now serving his second jail stretch, for a marijuana bust, he’s about to experience something that more solid citizens could never hope for — an audience with Pope Francis. Source: Far from […]

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