Prison chaplaincy is one of the most important works of the Church in the diocese, reaching out to the unchurched and marginalised as well as the practising Catholic. Fr Barry O’Sullivan is the chaplain to HMP Manchester (formerly known as Strangeways, until the riots in the 1990s). Fr Robert Lasia is the chaplain to HMP Forest Bank. Fr Ged Barry works outside the diocese, at HMP Full Sutton near York. Their work involves counselling the afflicted and of course administering the sacraments. Our Lord himself called for his followers to minister to those in prison, and the work of the prison chaplain answers that call in a very real way.

HMP Manchester has a full-time Roman Catholic Chaplain, Rev. Ged Doherty, a permanent deacon from Shrewsbury Diocese. Ged is unable to provide all the Sacramental cover and so Fr Barry goes in as a sessional chaplain for 16 hours per week.

The Catholic Chaplaincy at Manchester Prison is part of a multi-faith Chaplaincy department, and as such has to deal with the challenges and opportunities that this dynamic affords. Ministry to those in prison is a fundamental part of the mission of the Church, explicitly mentioned by Christ in the Gospels. Those in prison are numbered among the marginalised and the outcast, and as such are in particular need of chaplaincy support. Many will assume that such a ministry is especially challenging, far from it. Fr Barry says that ministry in the prison is the most rewarding in all his years of priesthood, and not as demanding as some people might assume. In fact, he says, given that our practice rate among Catholics in Strangeways is 35-40%, it could be argued that it is the envy of many parishes.

As the visiting priest, Fr Barry’s ministry is not limited to Catholic inmates. Provision of the Sacraments is exclusively for Catholics but his pastoral ministry is not limited to the Catholics. As a registered therapist, part of Fr Barry’s role is to offer one-to-one Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This has proved an invaluable and much appreciated service by both the inmates and the establishment. As a Doctoral Student at Manchester University Fr Barry was able to facilitate a link between Strangeways and the University. After a considerable amount of effort, on the part of many people, it has been arranged that from September 2010, four Doctoral Students will begin a placement at Strangeways, during which they will each provide 450 hours of individual therapy to selected inmates. This is a service peculiar to Strangeways and could be the basis for an invaluable long-term resource to the prison.

As a Catholic Chaplain, and a member of the Chaplaincy Department, Fr Barry is conscious that the full range of chaplaincy services is offered, not just to the inmates but to the whole establishment.  It is the role of each Chaplain to offer advice as to the particular need of each denomination and creed. It is also the role of the Chaplaincy Department to offer pastoral support to both management and staff. This service is utilised by various other departments.