Order of Malta Bibles and Prayer Books and the Presence of God

“When you go into a prison, you’re meeting Jesus in a different kind of way,” said Deacon Gerry Scilla, who said he has been profoundly changed by Prison Ministry. “I’m experiencing Christ through these guys and allowing Christ to work through me for them.”

Deacon Gerry was ordained in 2003 and since then has served his home parish of Saint Pius X in Essex, Vermont. Married for 45 years and now retired, part of his diaconal ministry is to visit Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Alban’s, Vermont. Additionally, he is Prison Ministry Coordinator for the Diocese of Vermont with oversight of Prison Ministry at the six prisons in the state.

Recalling his first visit to a prison, Deacon Gerry said, “I just felt this surge of love go through me. I had no natural reason to feel that. It was palpable. I thought, ‘You’ve got to take care of these guys.’” Something Deacon Gerry finds particularly rewarding is that he gets to know the men and can develop an ongoing connection with them. “If you’re the kind of person that has some sort of ability to listen, and listen with some empathy, you get a relationship,” he said.

Providing Order of Malta Bibles to the inmates is part of Deacon Gerry’s ministry. In the beginning, he was using his own money to buy Bibles or accepting donations from individuals. Then he heard about the Order of Malta Bibles and Prayer Book Program and contacted a friend, Deacon Bill Glinka, who is a member of the Order. “We’ve been using the Order of Malta Bibles and the Order of Malta Prayer Books ever since,” Deacon Gerry said. Not only that, but he found that the inmates would often specifically request the Order of Malta Bibles.

“I’ve heard guys talk about how just sitting there, reading the Order of Malta Bible, within four cement walls, and how they really started feeling the presence of God.”

For more information about the American Association’s Prison Ministry Program, contact Craig Gibson, Chair of the Prison Ministry Committee at cbgibson@comcast.net.