Pope Francis received heartfelt letters from inmates at Milan’s San Vittore prison after his hospitalization forced the cancellation of a planned meeting where the prisoners were to perform in a special concert.
The Holy Father knows well that judicial sentences are served behind bars and, above all, in the heart. That’s where he intended to enter this Monday, Feb. 17, when he was scheduled to meet with a group of inmates from San Vittore prison at Rome’s historic Cinecittà studios.
However, the event was canceled following his hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
“It was difficult for them to accept because it also represented an opportunity to get out into the fresh air, see sunlight, and breathe freedom for a few hours,” explained Eliana Onofrio, president of the Amici della Nave association.
Since 2018, the organization has worked with the La Nave project, which assists Italian inmates dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. In collaboration with the Santi Paolo e Carlo health care association, they run a rehabilitation program where music is a fundamental therapeutic tool.
“Music helps them relax and connect with themselves; it’s an essential part of the reeducation process that accompanies rehabilitation to help them overcome addictions,” Onofrio said.
Upon receiving official confirmation of the cancellation from the Vatican, some inmates decided to write letters to the pontiff. “It was a spontaneous gesture through which they wanted to express their affection,” Onofrio noted.
In one of the letters, an inmate expressed his sadness, saying that “everything had been organized in great detail” to offer Pope Francis a concert into which they had poured all their effort and affection. The inmate considers the pope a central figure, expressing his closeness and assuring his prayers.
Another detained person laments being unable to meet the pope but understands this is “a necessary pause due to his constant dedication and efforts.” Nevertheless, he emphasizes that the pope’s health is paramount and promises prayers for a swift recovery. He also asks Francis not to feel “distressed about the event’s cancellation” and wishes him a speedy return to strength.
The power of music and reintegration
For more than two decades, the Amici della Nave association has accompanied these inmates in various events outside prison. A notable highlight was their concert on April 9, 2019, at Milan’s prestigious La Scala theater.
“I still remember the journey and their faces of emotion as they got off the bus and stepped onto such an important stage,” Onofrio recalled.
Currently, 70 Italian prisoners form part of the choir, alongside volunteers and former inmates who have achieved complete reintegration after lives marked by crime.
The cells of San Vittore, small and cold, are filled with stories of stumbles and suffering. There, inmates await their final sentence. Once they reach the third grade, they are transferred to other prisons.
Some have committed serious crimes, but they have a right to a second chance. Sometimes, they just need “a shoulder to cry on to glimpse a new life,” Onofrio affirmed. Even in prison, goodness exists. Indeed, the light of hope and kindness can emerge after years of criminality when all seems lost, she said.
Thanks to the mediation of the Vatican’s Department of Culture and Education, the letters will be delivered to the pontiff, who remains hospitalized.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
