SCHOOL OF PRISON PASTORAL CARE

The Prison Pastoral Formation Ecosystem (PPFE) is a progressive and ongoing educational pathway developed by the Office of Detention Ministry of the Archdiocese of Miami.

We call it an ecosystem because formation does not happen through isolated courses or one-time workshops. It develops through the integration of theological education, spiritual reflection, pastoral encounters, practical experience, and continuing accompaniment.

Our approach is built upon four essential dimensions:

FORMATION — Preparing Hearts and Minds

Developing the spiritual, theological, ethical, and practical foundations necessary for responsible Catholic pastoral ministry.

ACCOMPANIMENT — Walking Together

Learning to listen, respect human dignity, recognize suffering, and accompany individuals with compassion and humility.

MISSION — Serving Christ in Others

Living the Gospel through faithful pastoral presence among our incarcerated and detained brothers and sisters.

HOPE — Bringing the Light of Christ

Witnessing to God's mercy, reconciliation, and the possibility of renewal in every human life.

PPFE is not simply a requirement to complete. It is a lifelong journey of pastoral growth, shared responsibility, and service within a Detention Ministry Community of Care.

Initial formation is the first educational stage of the Prison Pastoral Formation Ecosystem (PPFE).

Through Domus Misericordiae, our online learning platform, volunteers begin a structured journey of spiritual, theological, ethical, and practical preparation for pastoral service.

The First Step in Pastoral Preparation

This introductory course presents the mission, identity, responsibilities, and expectations of Catholic volunteers serving in correctional and detention facilities.

It is designed for new volunteers and as a refresher for those already involved in the ministry.

Understanding the Mission of Pastoral Accompaniment

This foundational course introduces the spiritual, theological, ethical, and pastoral principles of Catholic prison and detention ministry.

Participants reflect on human dignity, mercy, compassionate accompaniment, responsible pastoral presence, and the Church's mission to those who are incarcerated or detained.

Both courses are available in English and Español.

Participants must complete the required learning materials, watch the instructional videos, successfully complete the quizzes, and obtain a Certificate of Completion for each course.

IMPORTANT: Volunteers may register for and attend the PPFE Encounter Retreat before completing these courses. A deadline for completing PPFE 000 and PPFE 101 will be established during the retreat.

Both courses remain required components of the initial Ministerial Endorsement process.

Formation prepares us not only to understand the ministry, but to serve with compassion, responsibility, and fidelity to Christ's mission.

The PPFE Encounter Retreat is a three-hour, in-person gathering that brings Catholic volunteers together to reflect on their pastoral identity, strengthen their commitment to Christ's mission, and grow as a Detention Ministry Community of Care.

Through prayer, reflection, dialogue, and shared experiences, participants deepen their understanding of compassionate pastoral presence among our incarcerated and detained brothers and sisters.

All registered Detention Ministry volunteers are welcome, including new, current, occasional, and returning volunteers.

You do not need to begin or complete PPFE 000 and PPFE 101 before attending the Encounter Retreat.

• Complete the Volunteer Registration Form before registering for the retreat.
• Encounter Retreat registration requires a separate form.
• Volunteers may attend the retreat before completing their online PPFE courses.
• During the retreat, participants will receive instructions and a deadline for completing PPFE 000 and PPFE 101.
• The retreat and both courses remain required components of the Ministerial Endorsement process.

REGISTER FOR THE PPFE ENCOUNTER RETREAT

Formation brings us together. Encounter strengthens our mission. Mercy inspires our service.

The School of Prison Pastoral Care provides a progressive formation pathway through the Prison Pastoral Formation Ecosystem (PPFE), preparing Catholic volunteers for responsible, compassionate, and collaborative ministry in correctional and detention facilities.

All volunteers — new, regular, occasional, and returning — are expected to complete the four foundational PPFE levels and participate in the Encounter Retreat.

Each level builds upon the previous one, integrating Catholic faith, theological understanding, practical pastoral service, and ministerial responsibility.

PPFE 000 — ORIENTATION & REFRESHER

Understanding Our Mission and Responsibilities

Introduces volunteers to the mission, identity, expectations, ethical responsibilities, and essential guidelines of Catholic prison and detention ministry.

This course also serves as part of the annual refresher formation for active volunteers.

PPFE 101 — FOUNDATIONS OF PRISON PASTORAL CARE

Understanding the People We Are Called to Serve

Explores the spiritual, theological, ethical, and pastoral foundations of Catholic ministry, emphasizing human dignity, mercy, compassionate accompaniment, and the Church's mission to incarcerated and detained individuals.

PPFE 102 — PASTORAL SERVICE AND LITURGICAL MINISTRY

Preparing Volunteers for Catholic Pastoral Service

Planned for 2027, this course prepares volunteers to organize, facilitate, and participate responsibly in Catholic pastoral activities within correctional and detention facilities.

Topics will include:

• Preparing and leading a Liturgy of the Word according to applicable Church norms.
• Assisting with Holy Communion services when properly authorized.
• Planning and facilitating Catholic spiritual retreats.
• Understanding OCIA and accompanying individuals seeking Christian initiation.
• Leading prayer, Scripture reflections, and other appropriate pastoral activities.
• Respecting liturgical guidelines, ministerial responsibilities, and facility regulations.

Our goal: To form volunteers who serve with competence, reverence, compassion, and fidelity to the Catholic Church.

PPFE 103 — PASTORAL LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MINISTRY

Learning to Serve Together as One Pastoral Community

Planned for 2027, this course prepares volunteers to participate responsibly in organized pastoral teams and develop the collaborative leadership necessary for effective ministry.

Topics will include:

• Catholic servant leadership and collaborative ministry.
• Roles and responsibilities of volunteers and pastoral team facilitators.
• Organizing schedules and maintaining continuity of Catholic pastoral services.
• Effective communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution.
• Monthly rosters, weekly pastoral reports, and ministerial accountability.
• Collaboration with chaplains, correctional and detention staff, and the Office of Detention Ministry.
• Building and sustaining a unified Detention Ministry Community of Care.

Our goal: To strengthen responsible, organized, and compassionate pastoral teams that maintain a consistent Catholic presence in every facility.

All volunteers complete this level because leadership in pastoral ministry begins with shared responsibility, not simply holding a leadership position.

The Encounter Retreat is an essential in-person experience within the basic formation pathway.

The retreat strengthens our Catholic pastoral identity, spiritual commitment, and sense of belonging to a shared ministry.

Upon successful completion of:

• PPFE 000 — Orientation & Refresher
• PPFE 101 — Foundations of Prison Pastoral Care
• PPFE Encounter Retreat
• PPFE 102 — Pastoral Service and Liturgical Ministry
• PPFE 103 — Pastoral Leadership and Team Ministry
• PPFE Encounter Retreat

Volunteers will be eligible to receive the Basic Certificate in Prison and Detention Pastoral Care, subject to the established certification requirements.

Individual PPFE courses provide their own Certificates of Completion. The Basic Certificate recognizes successful completion of the entire foundational pathway.

Basic certification represents an important milestone, but it does not conclude the volunteer's educational journey.

All active volunteers will continue with:

Annual Refresher Formation: Completion of PPFE 000 and PPFE 101 every year to reinforce foundational knowledge, ministerial responsibilities, and pastoral guidelines.

Ongoing Pastoral Formation: Specialized mini-courses in Catholic faith, Sacred Scripture, Church teaching, pastoral accompaniment, and the changing realities of incarceration and detention.

Basic formation prepares us for ministry. Continuing formation helps us grow in fidelity, wisdom, and mercy throughout our service.

The completion of the four foundational PPFE levels and the Encounter Retreat marks an important milestone, but it is not the end of pastoral formation.

The School of Prison Pastoral Care recognizes that Catholic pastoral ministry requires continuous spiritual growth, deeper knowledge of the faith, theological reflection, and responsible pastoral service.

Through Domus Misericordiae, volunteers will continue their educational journey through two complementary pathways: Catholic Faith and Ecclesial Formation and Specialized Prison Pastoral Formation.

Deepening the Faith We Profess and the Gospel We Proclaim

Catholic volunteers represent the pastoral mission of the Church. Therefore, their formation must be rooted in Sacred Scripture, Catholic doctrine, the teachings of the Church, and Catholic social teaching.

This pathway emphasizes four essential foundations:

1. SACRED SCRIPTURE — THE WORD OF GOD

Reading, studying, praying, and reflecting on the Bible, particularly the Gospels and biblical teachings on mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation, justice, hope, and human dignity.

2. CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH — KNOWING OUR FAITH

Deepening our understanding of Catholic beliefs, the Creed, sacramental life, Christian morality, prayer, and the Church's teachings on human dignity and reconciliation.

3. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL — UNDERSTANDING OUR CHURCH

Studying the fundamental documents of Vatican II, especially Dei Verbum, Lumen Gentium, Sacrosanctum Concilium, and Gaudium et Spes, to better understand the identity, mission, and pastoral responsibility of the Church.

4. CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING — FAITH IN ACTION

Exploring human dignity, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, social justice, human rights, and the Church's concern for people affected by incarceration, detention, poverty, and exclusion.

Our purpose is not simply to acquire religious knowledge, but to allow the Word of God and the teachings of the Church to transform our lives and pastoral service.

Understanding Human Suffering and Responding with Mercy

Through short, specialized courses, volunteers will develop greater pastoral sensitivity and practical understanding of the complex realities experienced by incarcerated and detained individuals.

Topics may include:

• Human dignity, mercy, and restorative pastoral care.
• Compassionate listening and pastoral accompaniment.
• Mental health awareness, trauma, and emotional suffering.
• Family separation and the effects of incarceration.
• Forgiveness, reconciliation, and reintegration.
• Catholic spiritual and sacramental life in correctional settings.
• Immigration detention and pastoral accompaniment of migrants and their families.
• Pastoral ethics, confidentiality, boundaries, and ministerial responsibility.

Additional mini-courses will be developed according to emerging pastoral needs and the experiences of our ministry teams.

This formation is informed by the Gospel, Catholic social teaching, and theological reflection on mercy, including insights from Mercy as Evangelical Scandal: St. John Chrysostom's Defense of Eutropius and the Crisis of Hyperincarceration.

Renewing Our Commitment and Responsibilities

All active volunteers, including regular and occasional volunteers, are required to complete PPFE 000 — Orientation & Refresher every year.

The annual refresher reinforces ministerial expectations, ethical responsibilities, pastoral principles, and applicable correctional and detention facility regulations.

Volunteers who have completed the four foundational levels do not need to repeat PPFE 101, PPFE 102 and PPFE 103 annually.

Annual refresher formation and specialized continuing education are complementary components of our lifelong formation ecosystem.

READ → REFLECT → PRAY → SERVE

The School of Prison Pastoral Care follows an integrated educational approach that connects Catholic learning, personal reflection, prayer, and pastoral action.

READ — Encounter the Word and the Teaching of the Church

Engage with Sacred Scripture, the Catechism, Church documents, and pastoral resources to deepen knowledge and understanding.

REFLECT — Understand, Question, and Discern

Reflect on what has been studied, connect faith with human experience, and discern its meaning within the realities of incarceration and detention.

PRAY — Allow the Word to Transform Our Hearts

Bring our learning and reflections before God through prayer, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a deeper relationship with Christ.

SERVE — Transform Faith into Pastoral Action

Put into practice what we have read, reflected upon, and prayed through compassionate, responsible, and faithful service to our incarcerated and detained brothers and sisters.

Our mission is not simply to prepare volunteers to enter correctional and detention facilities.

We seek to form a lasting Detention Ministry Community of Care — rooted in Sacred Scripture, faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, attentive to human suffering, and committed to witnessing Christ's mercy and hope.

We read to understand. We reflect to discern. We pray to encounter Christ. We serve to make His mercy present.