Prison Ministry

Kolbe House is the agency of the Department of Parish Vitality and Mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago that serves individuals and families affected by the criminal justice system. Compelled by the Gospel mandate, “I was in prison and you visited me,” Kolbe House at Assumption BVM — a parish-based jail ministry — is a sanctuary for those impacted by incarceration. We seek to promote restoration and reconciliation through outreach, support and accompaniment. We follow the example of St. Maximilian Kolbe to love and hope in the midst of evil and despair. You can learn more about Kolbe House on the Archdiocese of Chicago's website.

For more information about our Prison Ministry, contact Georgia Burke at [email protected]

Current News

March 3, 2025: A letter from Emily Cortina, Coordinator of Outreach & Formation, Kolbe House Jail Ministry

Dear Kolbe House volunteers,

As you know, when we visit the imprisoned, be it in person, through a screen, in writing, or after their release, we visit Jesus. Let us dwell on that encounter with God as we reach more deeply into our experiences of ministries this Lent and beyond. We hope you will join us for as many of these events as you can!

United in Prayer with the Incarcerated
From Ash Wednesday until Pentecost
Please give individuals in custody a measure of hope about the world that awaits them by standing in solidarity with them through a communal prayer. We hope that you’ll join them and those of us who serve them to recite this prayer every night at 9:00 pm from Ash Wednesday through the Easter season:

“May all of us, on both sides of the prison walls, pray as one, to be Pilgrims of Hope who trust Christ to guide us through the darkest times, onward to His second chances, remembering always what the Man on the Middle Cross told a thief: We are ALL welcome in His Kingdom. Amen.”

Stop by Kolbe House for a prayer card to carry with you!

Virtual Volunteer Gathering
Monthly on the 2nd Saturday, 9:30-10:30 a.m., beginning March 8
All volunteers with Kolbe House ministries and any Catholic jail or prison ministry across the state of Illinois are invited to gather for prayer, reflection and sharing. Walking with the imprisoned is not meant to be done alone. Give yourself the gift of community in this ministry. Google Meet Video Call link: https://meet.google.com/bkz-tixv-vun

At-Home Lenten Retreat
Ten years ago, Kolbe House staff created a Lenten retreat guide for the community. Current Executive Director Mark McCombs, at the time recently released from prison, encountered the reflections and was moved to dedicate his life in service of the incarcerated. We invite you to encounter this same retreat, ten years later, at a time when there is more need than ever for healing, mercy, and solidarity with those on the margins. Watch your email every Friday during Lent for a story, reflection questions, actions steps and prayer. To go deeper into the spirit of this retreat, add the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson to your Lenten reading list.

Lenten Facebook & Instagram Campaign
In partnership with Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition, we will be using our Facebook and Instagram platforms during Lent to provide education around incarceration and restorative justice. This is a perfect opportunity to invite family and friends who are active on social media to follow us and step into the world of jail ministry.

Palm Sunday Prayer Walk
Sunday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m.
Join us again for our annual Palm Sunday Prayer Walk, a family-friendly, ecumenical procession of palms, drumming, song and prayer around Cook County Jail. We will remember moments of Jesus' passion and connect them to the experiences of those impacted by violence and incarceration. Together, we will recommit to hope, healing, and human dignity as a Church and as a society.

Share our flyer in future emails to share with your parish, family and friends. Better yet, organize a group carpool from your community!

Help is needed! If you would like to volunteer for this event or have handheld instruments like tambourines, small drums and other shakers that you would be willing to share, please contact Emily at [email protected].

Click here to read about Mary Drill Hermanek's experience...

I have been a parishioner for over 20 years and I was a St. Josaphat school parent, coach and Athletic Director for many years. When my youngest moved on to high school, I took a break from my involvement with the parish to focus on my business. I also got involved in a friend's foundation that provides programming and events to support and inspire South-side mothers. Ultimately, the goal of this foundation is to empower these moms to become positive role models in their communities and promote positive change. I also became a mentor to a single mother (Sara) and it has been a rewarding experience. In contrast to Sara, I had a strong Catholic family upbringing. Both of my parents were at almost every concert and sporting event of their 7 children. To say I had a lot of support is an understatement. Sara grew up with a supportive father but a drug-addicted mother and at least one brother who was incarcerated for several years.

When the events of George Floyd sparked civil unrest, Sara and I discussed the local and national riots and marches and what positive solutions might come of the events. We talked about South-side crime, gun violence, the daily survival instinct so many in her community rely on every day, and how sometimes just living one day at a time is the only way to avoid hopelessness. It wasn't hard to see how easy it would be for the young men and women of these neighborhoods to consider this environment normal. They grow up there then they raise their children there. For generations it is cyclical with the exception of cases of “divine intervention” or those very brave parent(s) who pack up their family and move away from all their friends and relatives. The situation seems impossible.

This was very frustrating to hear. Why isn't someone doing something to help stop this vicious cycle? I felt a strong calling to make a difference, but I didn't have a background in social work, and there were so many organizations trying to make a difference that I wasn't sure where to start. When I heard about Kolbe House Jail Ministry I knew it was my chance to help. If I could affect even one person, it would be worth it! I first got involved by sending birthday cards to incarcerated individuals who had signed up for the program. The idea is to send words of encouragement and hope on their birthday and to tell them you are praying for them. I have sent 6-8 birthday cards in the last 6 months. Recently, I decided I could handle a bigger commitment with the Letter Writing Ministry, so now I also write one letter a month to my assigned incarcerated pen pal, Mario.

Georgia Burke, our parishioner who manages our relationship with the Archdiocese’s Kolbe House Jail Ministry, is so helpful and organized! She easily got me started on letter writing with guidelines, tips and hints! I am just getting started with Mario now and literally just got a notice this morning that he has sent a letter back to me (through a secure portal.) I feel like my prayers for him and words of encouragement could help him change his trajectory! It is a great feeling to think I could maybe affect even one person, one life.

Mary Drill (Hermanek)

Birthday Card Mission

Kolbe House needs our help sending birthday cards to their incarcerated clients. Beginning in May, 2021 we began our Birthday Card Mission. Each month, Kolbe House sends us a list and our volunteers will receive a name, address and guidelines for writing to people who are incarcerated. Cards should be joyful and inspirational.

Giving Tree

Kolbe House was added to our Giving Tree ministry in 2022. We successfully donated heavy winter coats in appropriate sizes to be given to those who are released in the winter months. Incarcerated individuals are typically released with only the physical possessions they arrived with so many clothes may no longer fit or be seasonally appropriate. We look forward to collecting for them again in the future.

Thank you from Kolbe House