Pastor Félicien Mas MIANGU has been regional prison chaplain for 11 years
Responsible for 40 Protestant chaplains for 13 penitentiary institutions in the Paris Region (Grande and Petite Couronne), which represent 20% of the national penitentiary population,
Representative of the JAP / FPF service to the Prison Administration, (ADAP)
The Regional Prison Chaplaincy Commission, chaired by Mrs. Jeanne SYLVESTRE Chaplain of Nanterre.
Pastor Emmanuel BOTOLO is delegate FPRP in this commission.
Chaplaincy Mission:
The Justice and Prison Chaplaincy Service of the Protestant Federation of France (FPF) is present in all prisons in France and overseas through 377 Protestant chaplains from the various member churches of the FPF and sometimes even more. Non-member churches.
These 377 chaplains represent all the diversity and vitality of French Protestantism, they testify of the Gospel in the closed and dark places of our society, in places where the word of liberation of Christ takes a capital and essential dimension.
Chaplain’s work: worship in prison, personal visit
The Protestant Federation of France brings together Protestant diversity and under its Prison Chaplaincy (JAP) commission, it provides the permanent service of chaplaincy, through its national chaplain and 9 regional chaplains.
The objectives of the commission “Justice and Prison Chaplaincy” are:
a) Ensure the permanent service of prison chaplaincy.
b) Study and reflection on prison justice issues.
c) To intervene in certain cases with the Penitentiary Administration or with the Minister of Justice, in agreement with the President of the F.P.F.
(d) To inform the churches and to train those who work in prisons for the exercise of spiritual and moral service to prisoners.
In the practice of closed worship:
As pastor, we always have in mind that man can change. You have to give him that chance and never put him on the label of a criminal or a “perpetrator”. We try to take the man as a whole and put him at the center of the device by empowering him and encouraging him.
All this happens under the authority and control of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which sets the framework for life and sets the rules for the execution of prison sentences. And it specifies inter alia the rules of spiritual assistance provided to prisoners in articles D 432 to D 439
Art. D 432: Every prisoner must be able to satisfy the requirements of his religious, moral or spiritual life.
Art. D 433: The religious service is ensured, for the various cults, by chaplains appointed by the Minister of Justice, on the proposal of the Regional Director who consults for that purpose the competent religious authority, and after the advice of the Prefect.
Art. D. 434: The chaplains’ mission is to celebrate religious services, to administer the sacraments and to regularly provide the detainees with the help of their religion.
Art. OC 435: The chaplains fix, in agreement with the head of the establishment the hours of the offices, and possibly their days for the case where these exercises would not take place on Sunday or a holiday.
Art. OC 436: Upon arrival at the institution, each inmate is notified that he or she is entitled to receive a visit from the minister of worship and to attend religious services.
Art. D 437: The chaplains appointed to the establishment may speak as often as they think fit with the inmates of their worship.
Art. OC 438: Prisoners may still freely and in close correspondence with the prison chaplain.
Art. D 439: Prisoners are authorized to receive or keep in their possession the objects of religious practice and the books necessary for their spiritual life.
Our ministry is to ensure a presence of the Church to people who are particularly affected, even if they are responsible for their situation.
It is therefore to summarize in four movements our work is: to listen, to accompany, to walk and to witness to a hope, and a liberating word of Christ. To know that the salt of the gospel, even discreet, will give flavor to a life of man.