Response to Who Will Console Consuelo?

By Lucille Arcedas

I have just read the article Who Will Console Consuelo? and it really touched me. There are many Consuelos around but sometimes I fail to recognize them because self-righteousness dominates me.

I once asked Miladdie, who served in the prison apostolate in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, where we are both from, if she wasn’t afraid of the prisoners. She told to me how nice these people are.

Later, our organization, Bukas Loob sa Diyos, took charge of the Mass on the fourth Sunday of every month at the jail, followed by Bible sharing with the inmates. As a member, I joined them at the time when I was still employed in NSCA-Ilog.

Truly, there is goodness in every person and the prisoners’ sharing was very reflective. They might have committed sins in the past but we also have the Christian duty to help them, as they too are our brothers and siblings in Christ. They might be physically chained by bars but they have the freedom to live anew and become productive in their own way. After all, not all of them are the real culprits . . .

You can find Who Will Console Consuelo? here. There is a video version here.

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