RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS

Bible Study

Bible Study/Religious Education classes are offered by credentialed pastors, priests and volunteers from our community.  Bible study classes are offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Islam / Muslim Study

The Islam / Muslim classes refers to the Holy Quran during lesson plans, including the study and understanding of four major concepts at the center of Islam: God (Allah), the community (umma), the divine revelation (Koran), and the law (shari’a). Inmates learn Islam teaching (Introduction to Islam ;  Islamic Beliefs (al-'Aqa'id) ;  Prophets of God ;  - Islamic Worship (al-Ibadat) ; Islamic Manners ; Islamic Morals ;  Tazkiyyah ;  Family life in Islam ; Jihad ; Al-Halal wa al-Haram ; The Islamic Social System) ,  the Qur’an and the Sunnay , political and cultural history of Islam, and other aspects related to the Islam religion. Students receive lessons in English and Arabic.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses are members of a Christian-based religious movement. The traditional Christian Churches, for their part, do not regard the movement as a mainstream Christian denomination because it rejects the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which it regards as both irrational and unbiblical. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is God's only direct creation, that everything else was created through Christ by means of God's power, and that the initial unassisted act of creation uniquely identifies Jesus as God's "only-begotten Son."

Judaism

Judaism It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions, teaching the belief in one God. Both Christianity and Islam have similarities with Judaism. These religions accept the belief in one God and the moral teachings of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), which includes the Torah or "תורה." The belief that Jesus is God, the Son of God, or a person of the Trinity, is incompatible with Jewish theology. Jews people believe Jesus of Nazareth did not fulfill messianic prophecies that establish the criteria for the coming of the messiah.

Residents Encountering Christ (R.E.C.)

R.E.C. (Residents Encounter Christ) is a Catholic Prison Ministry composed of both laypersons and credentialed clergy. The R.E.C. Program has its roots in Cursillo, a movement of the Catholic Church that began in Spain in the 1940’s. The actual title is Cursillo de Cristiandad, which means ‘short course of Christianity’. Although the program is primarily composed of Catholic volunteers, REC does not restrict any denomination from attending and will not attempt to convert any inmate.  The REC Program has two components: Weekly R.E.C. meetings and Quarterly Religious Retreats. Weekly R.E.C. meetings consist of group prayer, sharing of scripture, and singing of hymns. 

Quarterly Religious Retreats consist of prayer, voluntary participation in Reconciliation, Mass, and special discussions designed to help inmates reflect on the choices they have made.  Retreat themes typically correspond with the following three major Christian holidays/observances: Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas. Both REC sponsored programs are designed to strengthen the inmate’s relationship with God and allow inmates to experience the benefits of group fellowship.

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