Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministry

 

Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministries: IWPM_info@WICCANPRISONMINISTRY.ORG

 

Please excuse us as we build this new site and Resource of Wiccan and Pagan Prison Ministries here in Indiana as well as link to resources available around the Country.

 

We currently visit the prisons in Indiana to do ritual and lessons with the Wiccan inmates over their allotted time period(s).  We also would make special trips on request to see individuals in need of ministerial counseling.

 

Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministry partners with local Ministers across Indiana to minister to a group that society often scorns and neglects: prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families.

 

We aim to make this program work in a three-fold manner. It will not only help the incarcerated Wiccan, but it educates the DOC facility staff and it aims to help our society. This is our ultimate goal and the purpose of this program.

 

For any incarcerated Pagan to exercise their religion, most facilities require an outside volunteer to come in and administer the religious services and this is where this program comes into affect, we look for volunteers of all sorts to aid in this service

 

What We Do

 

  1. We cooperate with the staff chaplains and try to keep them fully informed of our activities.(The chaplains are very supportive and open-minded.)
  2. Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministry is not a denomination but comprises various kinds of Wiccan/Pagans; therefore we usually teach and do ritual in a generic way.Within this framework we have established “Wicca  101” type lesson format with required readings and study for Pagan inmates.We accept all serious seekers.
  3. We encourage the prisoners to participate in the rituals and speak their own words (as opposed to following a script).
  4. We encourage democratic structure in the Pagan groups, with no inmate as 'priest' or 'teacher' — we encourage sharing of knowledge and ideas among everyone.
  5. We bring into the prisons only pre-approved items, and make sure both the guards and the chaplains inspect them.
  6. The Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministry committee meets regularly and keeps in touch by e-mail and phone to discuss recent visits and make plans for the future.The committee consults with outside resources on occasion.

 

What We Do Not Do

  1. We do not proselytize. The prisoners we visit were Wiccan before incarceration or became Wiccan afterwards by themselves or through their friends in prison.
  2. Visitors do not visit the prisons alone (if at all possible), but in teams of two or more.
  3. We do not accept as visitors anyone without Wiccan experience and a thoroughly down-to-earth attitude.
  4. We do not initiate prisoners.(Initiation is a ceremony making a person a Wiccan priest/ess.)
  5. We do not counsel prisoners on matters beyond the realm of Wiccan/Pagan practice in any formal way, but encourage them to use the counseling and programs offered by the institution.
  6. We do not call ourselves absolute authorities in religious matters, only people with more Wiccan experience and opportunities.
  7. We do not encourage prisoners in their tendency to think that the Wiccan community outside is large, cohesive and has the resources to be extensively supportive upon their release. We try to give them realistic expectations.
  8. We do not encourage close personal friendships (and certainly not romance!) between prisoners and visitors. We do not give out our addresses or phone numbers and any correspondence is conducted through the Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministry addresses.

We welcome suggestions and inquiries about volunteering for this program.

 

Please read the Administration - Organization and Policies pages and then contact us.

 

We also welcome donations of Pagan books and magazines.

 

Please check out our other Ministries:

 

Veterans Program

 

Hospital/Hospice Ministry

 

Contact us for more information:

 

Indiana Wiccan Prison Ministries: IWPM_info@WICCANPRISONMINISTRY.ORG