The Archbishop of Wales will be joining people spending Christmas in prison at two carol services next week.
Dr Barry Morgan will lead the morning service at HM Prison Cardiff on Sunday (Dec 20) and the carol service at HM Prison Parc, Bridgend, on Monday evening (Dec 21).
He said, “Christmas can be a particularly difficult and emotional time for people in prison as they are separated from their families and have little to look forward to. Yet the message of Christmas is as relevant for them as it is for everyone else and God calls us to minister to all those in trouble and need, whatever their circumstances.”
Revd Dawn Tilt, Chaplain at Parc, said, “Most prisoners don’t like Christmas – they put their heads down and just try and get through it.
“We organise a carol service in the prison chapel each year and about 40 prisoners come. It will be the first time many of the younger prisoners have ever been to a carol service and some of them will have no idea what the Christmas story is about. We hope they will enjoy it and that it will help them through what can be a difficult season.”
Revd Mark John, Chaplain at Cardiff, said about 100 prisoners regularly attend services at the prison chapel and they were looking forward to the carol service on Sunday. He said, “The Cardiff Prisoners Choir has been practising hard, under the baton this year of the Welsh maestro Grant Llewellyn, and the knowledge that the Archbishop of Wales is coming has given them extra impetus!
“Christmas is a bitter-sweet time of year for most of the prisoners – they make the best of it, with help from the staff, but there is a sense of loss as well. The carol service is important for them and this year, the Archbishop will be presenting eight prisoners with certificates for having completed the Christianity Explored course and two with certificates of Baptism. So it will be particularly special.”
