The presence of Jesus Christ is being announced to the world—the Messiah is here! This is the core of the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord—encountering and announcing Jesus as the beloved Son of the Father: all for the salvation of souls
and God’s glory. This is one of the reasons why I love prison ministry—I am blessed to see the announcement of Jesus’s mercy and love unfold   before me. Being a witness to God working in and through souls, and, now I have been able to share it with all of you through two Pilgrimages of Mercy to Warren Correctional and the upcoming Serenelli Project visits (serenelliproject.org). 

On December 1 and 29, I brought two different crews of 10 parishioners into Warren Correctional. The parishioners ranged from college students to retirees. We celebrated Mass, shared food, and played some games with the men each visit.
It was a time to encounter Christ and His mercy for all of us—the inmates, the parishioners, and me.  
 
The next two weekends, we will have representatives from the Serenelli Project present  at Masses. First, at OLR during Sunday Masses on January 14 and 15. Then, they will be at the   Sunday Masses at OLV and St. James on January 21 and 22.  
 
Its namesake is Alessandro Serenelli—the murderer of St. Maria Goretti. Before she died,      Maria said, “not only do I forgive him; I want him to spend paradise with me.” Years later, Maria appeared to Alessandro while serving his  sentence, He then went from being unrepentant to having an authentic conversion and striving to make           atonement for his sins. Alessandro put it simply, “Maria’s forgiveness saved me.”  

The Serenelli Project is rooted in the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Serenelli Project’s mission is to provide a stable community for   repentant individuals returning from incarceration or who simply have a criminal history.      The Serenelli Project aims to provide what a person needs in body and soul to be          rebuilt, repaired, and restored in Christ. They will provide a residence, skilled labor training, mental health services, spiritual formation, and, most importantly, a stable community. Serenelli has their first house in Sedamsville—a neighborhood just to the west of Cincinnati—and we are actively working to get it ready to house our first resident and community life director. 
 
Prison ministries and the Serenelli Project are both incredible bridges for encountering the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. They challenge  us to give our hearts more fully to Jesus. Praying for the prison ministries or Serenelli Project will help you to encounter Jesus’ forgiveness and make atonement for sins. Volunteering with the prisons and Serenelli will provide various opportunities to witness and experience conversion. Donating financially will propel the mission further to reach more souls. You will hear more from the Serenelli   representatives about ways to pray for,              volunteer, give of yourself, and encounter Jesus Christ over the next few weekends. There will be a second collection at the Masses which they are present. Thank you in advance for your attentiveness, generosity, and prayers as Jesus is announced and encountered.  
 
In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, 
Fr. Stegbauer