‘Holy Family House’ would offer former prisoners a place to start over

Holy Family House

idahoholyfamilyhouse.org

By Philip A. Janquart

ICR Editor

Doug Austin spent 42 years of his life in prison.

So, you might expect that when he was informed of his pending release, there would be joy. And there was — to a degree. But there were other emotions, specifically surprise and disbelief. More than anything, however, there was overwhelming fear.

For men and women leaving prison, freedom can bring both elation and uncertainty. After years behind bars, many face the challenge of rebuilding their lives while navigating a world that has changed around them.

“When you’re in a box, you’re isolated from the world,” Austin explained in an interview with the Idaho Catholic Register. “Then you come out here, and you have everything coming at you, not just in small doses, but a huge wave.”

A group connected with St. Vincent de Paul is working to address that challenge by creating a Catholic-based transitional home that provides stability, faith support and a place to begin again.

Dubbed the "Holy Family House," the refuge would provide a safe place for individuals like Austin who are transitioning out of incarceration. The plan is to provide a home where residents can receive guidance, develop life skills and strengthen their relationship with God.

Board members include President Doug Austin; SVdP’s Mike Gallagher; Secretary John D. Mebane; and prison ministry founder Dick Gallegos.

“We always felt it was important to run our own transitional house, where the people coming out can go for six months or so, and be strengthened in their faith,” said Gallagher, a former president of the St. Vincent de Paul council. “Catholic wannabes can come, too.”

Residents, he said, would be expected to participate in Mass, Bible studies and financial education programs designed to help them manage their money and rebuild their lives.

“They have to go to Mass every Sunday,” Gallagher said.

Inmates walk around teh yard at the Idaho State Correctional Institution near Kuna, ID (Courtesy photo/Idaho Department of Corrections)

From prison ministry to transitional housing

The effort grew out of years of work with people incarcerated in Idaho. Gallagher said the idea began after Dick Gallegos, who had been running a prison ministry for then Bishop Michael Driscoll, approached St. Vincent de Paul leaders about the challenges faced by people after their release.

“He came in and said, ‘You know, we’re doing some really good things in the prison,’” Gallagher recalled. “But he added, ‘When they come out, they got nothing.’”

The group eventually created a reentry conference that grew into a larger organization focused on helping people successfully return to society.

“We always felt it was important to run our own transitional house,” Gallagher said. “That’s the last step we want to make in this attempt to give people a good shot at staying out.”

The proposed home is being developed as a separate nonprofit organization connected with, but independent from, St. Vincent de Paul.

Finding a home

The immediate goal is to secure a larger home. The group currently has access to a duplex that will serve as a beginning point, but leaders hope to find a four- or five-bedroom house with at least two bathrooms.

The duplex comes through the generosity of Lucy Rodriguez, who is leaving for Tanzania to establish a home for people with cancer who lack access to end-of-life care.

“She took a page from Mother Teresa,” Gallagher said.

The group hopes to connect with someone who can provide a larger home through a lease arrangement or even a donation.

“We thought, if we got a story in the newspaper about plans, perhaps some Catholic families would react and say, ‘Well, I have a house I could rent you,’” Gallagher said. “Or, ‘I know of some people that have some houses.’”

But finding housing providers willing to work with a transitional home remains a challenge.

“We have a lot of things out there you can lease for $2,000 to $3,000 a month,” Gallagher said. “But as soon as you mention transitional home, these property managers say, ‘No, my clients don’t want that.’”

Ministry leaders believe a supervised, faith-based home can provide the structure residents need as they transition back into the community.

“They would really be better off with a transitional home where there’s control of what goes on, and with a family, as far as the care of the house,” Gallagher said.

The group’s leaders say the need is significant, Gallagher noting that Idaho’s three-year recidivism rate is high, while participants in their programs have experienced much lower rates.

“The recidivism rate in the State of Idaho for three years is 46%,” Gallagher said. “The recidivism rate for people who go through our program is down around 18%. So, we’ve made a major difference, and we need to make more of a difference.”

A safe place to adjust

For Austin, who came into the Church 20 years ago, the transitional home represents the final piece of a vision that began years ago through Catholic prison ministry.

“The whole idea of creating a transitional house under the Catholic faith is to give men a safe place to practice and fail sometimes,” he said. “Because there’s going to be trial and error, trial and error.”

Austin said people leaving prison often need time to adjust to everyday life. A home environment, he said, can allow residents to gradually rebuild confidence.

“I look at myself as like a child,” he said. “At first, I went out a little bit, then ran back home to a safe place. I went out a little further, then ran back home. I’d go out, test it, stretch it.”

The goal is to provide more than just a place to sleep.

“It just doesn’t become a house,” Austin explained. “It becomes a home for them; much different than the home they’ve been living in for umpteen years.”

Faith, family and second chances

Those involved in establishing the Holy Family House say it’s about recognizing the dignity of every person and helping those leaving prison rediscover their place in the community.

Austin said his own experience shaped his understanding of what people need when they leave prison.

“We pick people up every day,” he said. “You’d be surprised. They don’t have any real plan. I mean, we picked two people up today, put them on buses, and neither one of them knew exactly what they were doing. They were just absolutely fearful.”

Even ordinary tasks can become intimidating after years in prison.

“I remember the first time I got my cell phone,” he said. “First time buying groceries, things of that nature.”

He credited the support of others for helping him adjust.

“I was blessed to have someone hold my hand,” Austin said. “Boise is a beautiful community, because when they see a man that’s confused and about to freak out, they’ll jump in.”

Residents will have structure and expectations while learning how to live independently.

“It’s not about punishment,” Austin said. “It’s about learning how to process and do everything all over again.”

Seeing Christ in those who need help

The ministry’s roots go back to Gallegos, who helped found Catholic outreach in Idaho prisons. He said his understanding of the work changed through prayer and the example of St. Teresa of Calcutta.

He recalled becoming discouraged while working with incarcerated individuals and considered quitting the ministry. Later that day, he opened the Bible and turned to Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 25.

“I read that from top to bottom,” Gallegos said. “And the letters on it, it seemed like they were just coming up at me.”

He also read a book about Mother Teresa, which changed his perspective.

“One of the main things was that every time she went into the ghettos, she would look at people, and she would see Jesus’ face in each one of them,” Gallegos said.

That realization changed the way he viewed his ministry.

“So, I changed my attitude; I was at a maximum-security facility for two years, practically every morning, and that’s where I met Him (Jesus),” he said.

Gallegos said he believes the success of the ministry has come through God’s guidance.

“It’s only by the grace of God that all of this has materialized,” he said.

The ministry leaders also believe people who have experienced incarceration can play a unique role in helping others prepare to leave prison.

“When I started this many years ago, I thought the best thing to do was to have inmates take care of inmates,” Gallegos said. “And the reason I kept thinking about it is because they understand where they’re coming from.” Austin agreed.

“If you can get those people together, it’s amazing what things can happen,” he said.

Preparing residents for a new life

The home would need to meet requirements established by the Idaho Department of Corrections.

“It has to be approved by IDOC and probation and parole,” Austin said, adding that residents entering the home will be carefully screened.

“We are going to be doing our due diligence in making sure that whoever moves into this house is completely vetted,” he said, adding that there will be a list of house rules and a curfew.

For those involved, the Holy Family House represents more than a building. It represents the belief that people can change and that faith, community and support can help make that change possible.

“You don’t judge them,” Gallegos said of those who have been incarcerated. “I can’t judge anybody because I did a lot of things myself, but I didn’t get caught. These guys got caught, and I didn’t. Every one of us has a story to tell,” he said.

The ministry is asking individuals, families, businesses and organizations to help make the vision a reality, whether through donating a suitable home, offering financial assistance or volunteering time.

For Gallegos, the effort is another reminder that no life is beyond

redemption, and that when people are willing to see Christ in those who have fallen, God can transform second chances into new beginnings.