A journey of faith and redemption
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Prison Ministry Program at Jackson Correctional Institute in Black River Falls. These generous souls bring Mass and the sacraments to prisoners and coordinate the Friday Night Rosary Project. In the harsh and isolating environment of the prison, the faith of the inmates, who are each made in the image and likeness of God, grows strong. They find acceptance and hope as they come together to seek Christ with the support of the prison ministry volunteers.
Bringing the Sacraments to the Incarcerated
Father Matthew Bowe has been a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse since June 2022. He has actively volunteered with the Prison Ministry Program since his first assignment at Queen of the Apostles Parish in Tomah, where he was invited to take on this role by the outgoing prison ministry priest, Father Samuel McCarty.
In July 2024, Father Bowe was reassigned as the parochial administrator of Sacred Heart Church in Cashton, St. Augustine of Hippo Church in Norwalk and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in St. Mary’s Ridge.
For the past two and a half years, he has visited the prison chapel once a month on Sundays, while lay ministers conduct a Communion service on the other Sundays.
Typically, between 15 and 20 inmates attend Mass, with a core group of 10 regular worshippers, who often assist during Mass. Limited to 90 minutes, Father Bowe’s role as a priest is to offer the sacrament of reconciliation to prisoners for the first half hour so they can receive the Eucharist in the state of grace during the one-hour Mass that follows. This tight schedule leaves him with little personal time to engage with the inmates, but he can sense that his time spent with them is meaningful. They express their appreciation and gratitude, thanking him for the comfort he brings in the form of our eucharistic Lord, Jesus.
Partners in Faith: Tom and Melanie Frei’s Outreach
The Friday Night Rosary Project offers inmates an opportunity to worship and connect with volunteers from outside the prison. A single inmate started the Friday Rosary Project and Tom asked him if it would be alright to join him. Inspired by the experience, the inmate encouraged others to join, and what started as a small gathering evolved into a vibrant ministry that has profoundly impacted the lives of dozens of incarcerated men, helping them journey together in faith and love.
Tom, a Marian catechist and experienced leader of prayer, was instrumental in formalizing the ministry. As the spiritual coordinator, he has faithfully led the group every Friday night for two hours. During these sessions, he guides participants through Scripture study, discussions and prayer. When a priest is unavailable on Sunday evenings, Tom also leads Communion services with the Liturgy of the Word.
Six months after Tom began, his wife, Melanie, joined the team upon learning that the prison allowed female volunteers. Though initially apprehensive about working with inmates, Melanie soon discovered that the men she encountered were welcoming and eager to grow in faith. “They felt like neighbors,” she shared, reflecting on her first experiences. Tired of negativity, the inmates approached the group with positivity and openness, forming a supportive community centered on Christ.
Growth and Hope
Once Tom and Melanie started leading the group, more and more inmates joined. Curious men, drawn into fellowship, found a warm and welcome relief from loneliness and developed a closer relationship with Jesus as Tom inspired their minds with Jesus’ desires for their lives.
Often abandoned by employers, family and friends, the inmates seek a fresh start and a place where they can belong and feel accepted. For them, the Friday Night Rosary Project is not only a place of prayer but also a space of transformation, hope and connection.
Melanie also took on an organizational role, securing funding for the ministry through the Diocese of La Crosse Office for Social Concerns. She shops for supplies, assists inmates in designing their rosaries and coordinates their distribution. These rosaries, lovingly crafted by the inmates, serve as tangible expressions of their faith and a bridge to the broader Catholic community.
Now, after more than 11 years, the Friday Night Rosary Project depends heavily on Tom and Melanie’s dedication, with only one backup volunteer currently available. The Freis continue to pray for more volunteers to support this ministry, which has become a lifeline for many inmates. As one prisoner shared, “If I didn’t come to the Friday Night Rosary Project, I would have nobody visiting me.”
The rosaries created during these gatherings end up in the hands of others across the globe. “This rosary was made by inmates at Jackson Correctional Institution in Black River Falls, WI. The inmates appreciate prayers offered on their behalf.” This message is written on cards by the inmates, who include the cards with each rosary, along with their hopes of being supported by the prayers of strangers. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Melanie prayerfully distributes the rosaries worldwide. One of the most meaningful donations went to the Chalice of Mercy Organization in Ukraine, where the rosaries became cherished items carried into battle by soldiers fighting in the Russo-Ukrainian War.
An Inmate Leads
The night always ends with one prisoner leading the others in a decade of the rosary, asking the Virgin Mary to intercede on their behalf and present their prayers to Jesus. One evening’s intention powerfully stands out to Tom. He recalls when an older and quiet inmate solemnly expressed a heartfelt prayer: “Let us pray for our victims. For their healing. For their recovery. For the ways we have injured them.”
Humbly, Tom comments, “These inmates realize there’s not a lot they can do to repair the damage they’ve done, but they can pray for their victims.”
The Chapel Choir
The once short, simple Mass has grown in beauty.” A small but exuberant choir formed, singing hymns and chant responses from a hand-me-down ’70s or ’80s hymnal. As the choir practices together, it brings everyone joy and delight. Worshippers enjoyed a 20-minute concert of carols before Christmas Mass. Easter and Christmas Masses highlight the inmate’s year, bringing together up to 30 worshippers,” Father Bowe shares joyfully.
Explaining why inmates are drawn to Mass, he continues, “Some prisoners long for the Eucharist. Others come to realize they need more of God in their life. Attending Mass is a definite boost for their week. It is a good and powerful change that brings them joy when they come together as a community. It’s helpful to them.”
The Baptism of “Zachary”
Prisoners sometimes request to be baptized, and “Zachary” is one such inmate. He did not believe in one God; instead his spiritual beliefs leaned toward a form of Norwegian neo-paganism that involved many deities. One night, his cellmate returned from participating in the Rosary Project and shared an experience that caught Zachary’s attention. He visited the Rosary Project the following week, enjoyed the experience and was captivated.
Zachary found truth in the Triune God and the Catholic Church. Enamored with his newfound faith, he desired to be baptized as an adopted son of God and welcomed into the Catholic Church. As a certified Marian catechist, Tom invited Zachary to study and complete the necessary requirements to receive the sacraments of initiation. Once he fulfilled these requirements, Zachary received all three sacraments: baptism, holy Communion and confirmation. He was then officially welcomed into the Catholic Church, becoming firmly rooted in his faith. Motivated by God’s grace, Zachary completed the Marian Catechist Basic Course, hoping to increase his service to God and others.
Tom proudly shares, “This is a case where someone has truly been transformed to accept God and has sought all three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church through the prison ministry and the Rosary Project. I view the Rosary Project as a faith-based support group. Melanie and I have witnessed these men encounter Jesus and then share their faith experiences with others in a spirit of obedience.”
New Meaning
As they continue to face the consequences of their actions that harmed the community, these prisoners now also seek to create new meaning for their lives with the help of prison ministry volunteers and other inmates who testify about the saving power of a merciful God. Jesus stands among these souls. His grace calls them to encounter Him in the Eucharist.
Story by Collene A. Spaeth
Published in the Spring 2025 issue of Catholic Life Magazine