INTERVIEW: Sister’s prison ministry finds its center in Matthew 25

Interview with Franciscan Sr. Mary Lou Lafferty
by Sr. Camille D’Arienzo

Sr. Mary Lou is the prison ministry coordinator for Catholic Charities in the Camden, N.J. diocese.

SR. CAMILLE: Mary Lou, when you assumed the role of prison ministry coordinator for Catholic Charities in the Camden diocese in September 2013, the executive director of Catholic Charities, Kevin Hickey, issued the following statement:

“Catholic Charities is thrilled to have Sister Mary Lou join our hope-filled community. Sister Mary Lou brings a varied background to her work with prison ministry and that variety of experience is so helpful to us in the difficult work which we undertake.”

What constitutes the variety of experience to which Mr. Hickey referred?

LAFFERTY: From 2000 to 2012, I served my congregation in leadership, both congregational and regional. Prior to this ministry, I was involved in the field of education and held positions in Catholic school offices as assistant superintendent in the diocese of Paterson, N.J., and the archdiocese of Boston, as well as principal in many dioceses, among them being here in the Camden diocese at St. Agnes School in Blackwood…

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