American Association Prison Ministry Committee

The Prison Ministry Committee established a Charter with the Board of Councillors in June, 2023. Its purpose includes, but is not limited to, monitoring and providing full support for active PM programs within the American Association’s thirty areas. The PMC oversees Pen Pal programs, visitation and outreach, Bible and prayer book distribution, re-entry and other initiatives. To read the PMC Charter, please click here.

Mary Jo Kriz, DM, Co-Chair
Boston Area

MJ Kriz holds her Masters of Arts and Ministry from Saint John Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts. MJ has been volunteering at MA Correctional Institutions for over fifteen years by practicing the ministry of presence. At the time of this writing, only one of the formerly incarcerated women with whom she held individual prayer meetings, has since returned to prison.

Bob Nephew, KM, Co-Chair
Boston Area

Bob Nephew was invested at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 2012. Bob began his prison ministry at Massachusetts Correctional Institutions, Norfolk through the monthly Mass held by the Order’s Boston area. Bob has been volunteering and overseeing the growth of PM at MCI, Concord since 2017; holding Rosary, Bible reading and discussion prayer groups.

Fay Connors, AUX
Minnesota Area

Fay Connors is the co-founder of Twin Cities Prison Ministry, MN. In August, 2022, Fay was appointed by Archbishop Bernard Hebda to coordinate Prison and Jail Ministries for the Archdiocese of St Paul. For information on Twin Cities PM Pen Pal program, please click here.

Grace Dawgert, DM
Pennsylvania – Scranton Area

Grace Dawgert teaches GED classes for the incarcerated in Lakawanna Jail in Scranton, PA. She also developed and oversees “100 Backpacks,” a re-entry program through Scranton’s Community Outreach Center. Grace is active with the newly created “Pardon Program,” an initiative in PA where the formerly imprisoned may apply to have their felony records expunged.

Steve Hawkins, KM
Minnesota Area

Steve Hawkins joined the Twin Cities Prison Ministry in 2014 after a friend’s incarceration and served on its Board as Chair. He initiated and developed the Order of Malta’s Pen Pal program and acts as its representative for the American Association.

Sandy Trapp, DM
New Jersey Area

Sandy was invested in the Order of Malta in 2016 and has attended several Lourdes Pilgrimages. She is a weekly Eucharistic Minister at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church in Hoboken, N.J. Sandy manages the distribution of print Bibles and prayer books into prisons and jails. She is also exploring the digital adaptation of the Catholic Bible onto tablets for the incarcerated.

Paul Young, KM
Boston Area

Paul Young heads the Order of Malta’s prison ministry for New Hampshire through his work with Dismas Home of NH, a transition program for previously incarcerated women. Paul is also a member of the North American Prison Ministry Apostate.

Alexandra Lehmann, Volunteer
Boston Area

Alexandra Lehmann researches and writes communications for the PMC.


For more information on joining the PMC and/or area PM programs, please contact MJ Kriz at Maryjo.kriz@gmail.com.