• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • 0Shopping Cart
Dismas Ministry
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Impact Report 2024
    • Board of Directors
    • St. Dismas Award
    • FAQ
    • Newsletter
    • Prisoner Art Gallery
  • Services
    • Inmate Services
    • Request Resources
  • Resources
    • Resource Links
    • Forgotten Work of Mercy
    • A Way of the Cross
    • I Am Beautiful
    • Messengers of Hope Video Resource
    • Prison Ministry Network
  • Support Our Mission
    • Donate
    • Mercy Circle – Monthly Giving Program
    • Volunteer
    • Union Of Prayer
    • Friends of Dismas Ministry
    • Art Event 2025
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

Mission Minute: Claudine Werner

Written by Joshua Stancil

For this week’s Mission Minute, I reached out to Claudine Werner, who is active in prison ministry in Oregon. She kindly agreed to share her experience as a volunteer at Coffee Creek Correctional Institute.

Claudine Werner

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you found yourself ministering to inmates…

Claudine: When I retired from teaching high school business classes, my daughter suggested I should volunteer at Coffee Creek Correctional Institute. The Oregon women’s prison was located not far from where she worked, and one of her co-workers had volunteered there. I didn’t follow through at that time, but about two years later, a member of my parish, Carole, invited me to join her as a volunteer at Coffee Creek. She knew the process for getting involved.

Q: What do you think inmates most benefit from in the interactions with volunteers?

Claudine: We have heard from the chaplain at Coffee Creek that the ladies very much appreciate our presence and the sharing of our faith. And we, too, can say that we have suffered from gossip and betrayal in our lives. We are not different, really, and it helps the ladies to see that.

Q: Any changes you’ve seen in yourself since becoming a volunteer?

Claudine: At first I was, of course, a little nervous about entering into the heart of a prison. But after attending some workshops and a conference for volunteers at Coffee Creek, my heart totally changed. Hearing the personal stories from women who grew up with abuse, parents who had failed them, and society’s dismissal of their worth, I soon understood that these ladies are hungry for the peace, love, and mercy of Christ. One of the chaplains at Coffee Creek asked if I would be willing to be a mentor. I am now meeting with my third candidate. Sharing confidences with other females usually ends painfully in prison, so speaking with an outsider is considered safer. The stories I’ve heard are heart-breaking and inspire me to do what I can to show love and concern.

Q: What have you learned about prison ministry that most people would find surprising?

Claudine: When a woman first arrives at Coffee Creek, she is usually angry and bitter. And yet, several ladies have told me that prison was the best thing to happen to them. They are in a safe place now and can focus on healing. I’ve attended some holiday celebrations for volunteers, and the inmates who were there spoke of the healing process they have gone through and the huge changes in their lives.

Q: Any unusual stories from your time as a volunteer?

Claudine: There was this one incident when I attended the final training session for new volunteers. While waiting for the speaker, we went around the room and introduced ourselves. One young lady dressed all in black introduced herself as a volunteer with the Pagan worship group. Eventually I introduced myself as a volunteer with the Roman Catholic services, and for the rest of the evening, whenever I looked around the room, the young lady in black was glaring at me.

Q: How did you hear about Dismas Ministry?

Claudine: Our Archdiocese sponsored a conference for volunteers in prison ministry. Ron Zeilinger, who started Dismas Ministry, was the main speaker. After hearing about the booklets available, I decided to place an order for the ladies at the prison. As a teacher, I knew they would love to expand their knowledge and grow in the faith. And sure enough, every booklet was snapped up immediately. As another volunteer told me, “They sure love those booklets!” Dismas Ministry also sent a large shipment of Bibles. Everyone wants her own Bible!

Joshua Stancil is a Dismas Ministry board member, a published author, and a native of North Carolina. A frequent speaker at restorative justice conferences in both America and abroad, his writing has appeared in Magnificat, Traces, and Convivium. Joshua is the author of the Dismas Ministry blog series, Mission Minute: Profiles in Prison Ministry, found at dismasministry.org/blog. He can be reached via [email protected]

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn

Choose a Category from our Archives

Please join our Prison Ministry Network

Stay up-to-date on all Dismas Ministry News
 

Quick Links

Donate today to help us continue our mission!

Newsletter    Mercy Circle    Inmate Services


Search our Products

Follow us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Copyright © 2024 · Dismas Ministry, a nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization · Privacy Policy - Enfold Theme by Kriesi
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OK

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Other cookies

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

Privacy Policy

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Privacy Policy
Accept settingsHide notification only