By Araceli M. Cantero - Florida Catholic
Fotógrafo: ARACELI CANTERO | FC
Deacon Edgardo Far�as opens the door to the new St. Dismas center on the grounds of St. Robert Bellarmine Mission in Miami, which will serve the needs of families of inmates in Miami-Dade County.
MIAMI | Deacon Edgardo Far�as dreams of taking better care of the families of prisoners, high risk youth, and ex-prisoners: That dream is closer to reality now, with the help of many people and volunteers and the establishment out of two small outreach centers entrusted to the patronage of St. Dismas.
The dynamic deacon, who directs the Archdiocese of Miami�s Prison Ministry, had hoped to open outreach centers such as these for a number of years. His dream became a reality thanks to the support of two priests: Father Steven O�Hala, pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Pompano Beach and its mission church, St. Joseph; and Father Jos� Luis Men�ndez, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Miami and its mission church, St. Robert Bellarmine.
Both missions now house St. Dismas outreach centers. Their inauguration took place in May, coinciding with the visit of two Argentine priests who gave conferences in Miami on �God in the city� or what some call urban ministry.
For Deacon Far�as, St. Dismas is the perfect name. Dismas was the �good thief� who was crucified next to Jesus. �After having been a thief and probably an assassin or literally an �evildoer� as the Gospels tell us, it was enough for him to turn to Christ while on the gallows to receive the forgiveness and mercy of God.�
The fact that this was enough to enter heaven means that �today, we can have him as an example.�
The archdiocese�s prison ministry serves inmates in of 32 institutions in Broward and Miami-Dade: jails, state and federal prisons, juvenile detention centers, and immigration centers. The work is done with the help of 10 priests, 10 deacons, and 150 lay people, all volunteers, who make frequent visits to inmates and 50 more volunteers who visit occasionally.
The ministry also hosts a program on Radio Paz (830 AM) that airs every Tuesday from 9 to 10 p.m., bringing expert guests to speak on the legal and social aspects of the criminal justice system.
Deacon Far�as stresses that volunteers are always needed. Volunteers must undergo an orientation process and training, must be recommended by their parish, and must meet archdiocesan requirements. (www.detentionministry.com).
The dynamic deacon, who directs the Archdiocese of Miami�s Prison Ministry, had hoped to open outreach centers such as these for a number of years. His dream became a reality thanks to the support of two priests: Father Steven O�Hala, pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Pompano Beach and its mission church, St. Joseph; and Father Jos� Luis Men�ndez, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Miami and its mission church, St. Robert Bellarmine.
Both missions now house St. Dismas outreach centers. Their inauguration took place in May, coinciding with the visit of two Argentine priests who gave conferences in Miami on �God in the city� or what some call urban ministry.
For Deacon Far�as, St. Dismas is the perfect name. Dismas was the �good thief� who was crucified next to Jesus. �After having been a thief and probably an assassin or literally an �evildoer� as the Gospels tell us, it was enough for him to turn to Christ while on the gallows to receive the forgiveness and mercy of God.�
The fact that this was enough to enter heaven means that �today, we can have him as an example.�
The archdiocese�s prison ministry serves inmates in of 32 institutions in Broward and Miami-Dade: jails, state and federal prisons, juvenile detention centers, and immigration centers. The work is done with the help of 10 priests, 10 deacons, and 150 lay people, all volunteers, who make frequent visits to inmates and 50 more volunteers who visit occasionally.
The ministry also hosts a program on Radio Paz (830 AM) that airs every Tuesday from 9 to 10 p.m., bringing expert guests to speak on the legal and social aspects of the criminal justice system.
Deacon Far�as stresses that volunteers are always needed. Volunteers must undergo an orientation process and training, must be recommended by their parish, and must meet archdiocesan requirements. (www.detentionministry.com).
WHERE TO FIND HELP
- Call the Office of Prison Ministry: 305-762-1093
- Send a fax: 305-758-2027 or
- Send an email: [email protected].
To arrange a meeting in one of the St. Dismas centers or to receive counsel, support or orientation regarding the many resources that exist in the archdiocese and South Florida:
Deacon Far�as knows the process well since he has undergone it himself. Born in Argentina where he was an elementary school teacher, he decided to emigrate in 1986 with his wife, who was also a teacher. This decision initiated for them an itinerant phase, like that of so many other immigrants.
Far�as began installing marble and ceramic tiles in apartments in South Florida while beginning to relate to people of many diverse cultures. The couple then had their first and only daughter and began a new phase of learning to become father and mother.
One day, in 1998, while listening to a program on Radio Paz on prison ministry, Far�as felt his calling. For seven years, he served as a lay minister and prison volunteer while keeping his day job. But he longed for something more, and in 2001 was accepted into the permanent diaconate program. After five years of study and preparation, he was ordained a deacon in 2006 and named director of Prison Ministry for the archdiocese.
Motivated by the words of the Gospel, �I was in prison and you visited me,� his dream is to develop a ministry model that provides prisoners, ex-prisoners and family members with healing, reconciliation and programs that meet their needs. All the while he continues to study and invite others to also commit themselves to that dream.
That is what he did with Fathers O�Hala and Men�ndez, and the result is the creation of the two St. Dismas centers.
Far�as began installing marble and ceramic tiles in apartments in South Florida while beginning to relate to people of many diverse cultures. The couple then had their first and only daughter and began a new phase of learning to become father and mother.
One day, in 1998, while listening to a program on Radio Paz on prison ministry, Far�as felt his calling. For seven years, he served as a lay minister and prison volunteer while keeping his day job. But he longed for something more, and in 2001 was accepted into the permanent diaconate program. After five years of study and preparation, he was ordained a deacon in 2006 and named director of Prison Ministry for the archdiocese.
Motivated by the words of the Gospel, �I was in prison and you visited me,� his dream is to develop a ministry model that provides prisoners, ex-prisoners and family members with healing, reconciliation and programs that meet their needs. All the while he continues to study and invite others to also commit themselves to that dream.
That is what he did with Fathers O�Hala and Men�ndez, and the result is the creation of the two St. Dismas centers.
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