Meet Anthony

Anthony
About twenty years ago I made a conscious decision to give something back to this wonderful and blessed life I live. I wanted to give something back to the community. After supporting and being a part of several ecumenical groups that shared their spirituality and commitment with the Lord as their Director, I became involved with Prison Ministry inside San Quentin. I have a belief that because we are human, we all have the capacity to sin. I also believe that everyone deserves a second chance if they are truly sorry for their indiscretion. I believe in the goodness of people and I also believe that God does not make junk and the potential for us to live a Christ filled life is within all of us.

The program that I am involved in inside the walls of San Quentin is called Kairos. Kairos is a Greek word that means time. I translate it to my time in jail. Kairos consists of monthly meetings called ultreyas in which members of the Kairos community meet with the inmates who have made a Kairos weekend. The weekend is a four day retreat process held twice a year. Forty-Two inmates are selected to make each weekend. A team of  volunteers is selected by the Rector in charge of the weekend and they become the sponsors of the candidates. The Kairos team facilitates the weekend through a series of talks given by some of  the team members, discussions after the talks, music, agape, and breaking down wall sessions that are truly spiritual.

 

I also mention that the Candidates are divided  into groups and placed at different tables that become their families. The trust and love that is shared at these tables is truly Christ inspiring. The candidates graduate from these weekends and hopefully become soldiers of Jesus Christ either inside the walls or outside the walls when they are released. Team preparation for these weekends is usually a Three month process prior to the weekend. During that time the team has a chance to bond and unify. We are also blessed to have a group of in mates who have made a Kairos weekend to serve as the inside servers. They provide moral support for the new candidates, and also take care of a multitude of tasks that keep the weekend flowing smoothly. The most important  aspect of their involvement is the visual presence they provide to their  brothers.


Working this Ministry has had a tremendous affect on my life. It has brought  me closer to the Lord and has added more Spirituality and Commitment to my life that I never thought was possible.  I am currently the Chairman of the Advisory  Council for Kairos inside San Quentin. The Council consists of twelve board members. Our mission is to keep the spirit alive inside the walls of San Quentin. The Council also oversees other programs inside San Quentin, prayer and share and Taise to name a few. I have also recently been elected as Vice-Chair of the State Board which oversees Kairos in nine institutions in the State of California. I look forward on continuing to serve Jesus Christ as His humble servant. For the men who are incarcerated throughout the State, sometimes a ministry such as Kairos is the lever they need to change their lives. I am blessed to be a part of that God-filled process.

- Anthony