RestoreJustice.com is an outreach of the California Catholic Conference offering healing and support to everyone affected by the criminal justice system throughout the U.S.
This site is made possible by a grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development at the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops.
The purpose of RestoreJustice.com is to offer a place of compassion and assistance, resources and services and educational information for anyone who is affected by crime - victims of crime, offenders and their families, corrections staff, chaplains, criminal justice system employees and management, and advocates for restorative justice.
Who We Are >>
History/Background
The
U.S. Catholic Bishop's Pastoral
2003 California Symposium on Crime, Punishment & the Common Good
Outcomes of the Symposium
The Bishops’ Pastoral
In 2000, the U.S. Catholic Bishops published a pastoral letter entitled
Responsibility,
Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and
Criminal Justice.
We are still a long way from the time when our conscience can be certain of having done everything possible to prevent crime and to control it effectively so that it no longer does harm and, at the same time, to offer to those who commit crimes a way of redeeming themselves and making a positive return to society. If all those in some way involved in the problem tried to... develop this line of thought, perhaps humanity as a whole could take a great step forward in creating a more serene and peaceful society.
—Pope John Paul II, July 9, 2000
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The document concerns itself with Offenders, Victims, and Community, and it provides a Catholic approach to all three. When the Bishops decided to write this document they had to start from scratch. There was no reference data to go to, no historic documents to refer to. It was the first of its kind and so it should be recognized for its strengths and for its weaknesses and its interest by countries beyond the USA.
The California Symposium
The Bishops of the California Catholic Conference are very committed to restorative justice ministry and indeed were very involved in writing the U.S. pastoral. Most celebrate Christmas and Easter liturgy in prisons. Many joined Pope John Paul II by visiting prisons in 2000 for the Jubilee in the Prisons of the World. They go into prisons several times each year and lead interfaith delegations of to create awareness in the community for the need for the spiritual care of prisoners and their families.
So it was not a surprise that through the California Catholic Conference they called to implement the statement by deciding to conduct a symposium on criminal justice. They said, “We can change the face of criminal justice in California, but only if we do it together.”
The goal of the Symposium was to move public opinion and create a political climate more amenable to restorative justice in line with a Catholic vision presented in Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration. It was an attempt to raise concerns about the criminal justice system and to invite people of good will—administrators, judges, lawyers, officers, chaplains, volunteers, parole agents, victims and offenders, and their families, to join us in conversation and dialogue of restorative justice from a Gospel perspective.
In all, it was a hugely successful event attended by over 2,000. It was also a learning experience for the Church. In their evaluations back to us, participants helped us identify three groups who are affected by crime and punishment and the common good.
• Professionals—Who want and need our support
• The Silenced—Offenders, Victims, Formerly incarcerated and families—who need and want us to be their voice
• Volunteers—Who need direction through counseling, liturgy and collaboration
Outcomes of the Symposium
We learned that we have a strong history of presence to prisoners in our ministry as chaplains and volunteers in prisons and jails, but that we are not always present to the families of prisoners, to victims of crime or criminal justice professionals. And so, the California Catholic Conference has developed this website to further implement the US Bishops pastoral and to:
Provide Justice with dignity for the wounded
Provide Justice with dignity for offenders
Develop Restorative Justice Ministries
Developing relationships with Criminal Justice Professionals
Who We Are
Editorial Board
| Mr. Ned Dolejsi | Executive Director, California Catholic Conference |
| Mr. George Wesolek | Director of Public Policy, Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Fr. George Horan | Co-Director, Office of Restorative Justice, Archdiocese of Los Angeles |
| Mr. Kent Peters | Director, Office for Social Ministry, Diocese of San Diego |
| Ms. Elo Carrillo | Coordinator of Victims’ Ministry, Office of Restorative Justice, Archdiocese of Los Angeles |
| Ms. Rose Madsen | Chair, Families & Friends of Murder Victims, San Bernardino |
| Mrs. Marci Coglianese | Member, Inmate Family Council |
| Sr. Terry Dodge, SSL | Executive Director, Crossroads, Inc. |
General Editor
The general editor of RestoreJustice.com is Debbie McDermott.
Contributing Writers
Ellie Hidalgo, staff writer, The Tidings Catholic Newspaper in Los Angeles
Jack Smith, Editor, Catholic San Francisco