Mission Statement

The mission of Restorative Justice Ministry of the Diocese of Austin is to promote Christ’s love and forgiveness through assistance, education and social interaction to the incarcerated and their families, and to help those returning from prison successfully reintegrate back into society by becoming productive citizens.

Who we are

The Restorative Justice Ministry is a ministerial office of the Secretariat for Life, Charity & Justice of the Diocese of Austin. We work collaboratively with parishes throughout the diocese, the other 14 dioceses in the state of Texas, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (which oversees and operates all state prison and jail units in Texas), the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and local county and other law enforcement agencies throughout the diocese.

Last year the Restorative Justice Ministry was a featured video of the diocesan Catholic Service Appeal. You can view this short video here.

What we do

Our efforts are directed to reduce trauma within correctional facilities, reduce recidivism and increase public safety through a growth in faith and healing for offenders, ex-offenders, their families and for the victims of crime. We in the Restorative Justice Ministry strive to achieve these goals by:

• Providing spiritual formation to the incarcerated and staff at correctional facilities that leads to encounter and transformation, 

• Providing spiritual and material support to family members of the incarcerated,

• Providing spiritual and material support to ex-offenders and their families, and by

• Promoting a change in the culture of the criminal justice system from that of punitive to rehabilitation.

How you can get involved

For information on the various ways by which you can serve or assist in the Restorative Justice Ministry, visit our RJM Program Volunteer Needs and Opportunities page. 

Pastoral Care Policy Manual

The Office of the Restorative Justice Ministry is responsible for the oversight of all Catholic programs conducted in correctional facilities located in the diocese to assure their compliance with the norms and guidelines established by the bishop and that the pastoral needs of the Catholic inmates incarcerated within those correctional facilities are properly and most effectively served. Accordingly, all volunteers that conduct Catholic service programs or retreats in correctional facilities in the diocese should refer to the Restorative Justice Ministry’s Pastoral Care Policy Manual to assure compliance with those norms and guidelines.

Texas Catholic Correctional Ministers

The Texas Catholic Correctional Ministers (TCCM) is a collective body of representatives from each of the Criminal Justice ministries of the (arch)dioceses of Texas. The TCCM provides oversight and direction for the many men and women who are involved in Catholic correctional ministry at the state, diocesan and local parish levels. The TCCM web site provides information and resources to assist those who are interested in serving in the Catholic correctional ministry as well as those who are served by it, including specifically volunteers, families of inmates and former inmates.