For the second consecutive year on Holy Thursday, Bishop Earl Fernandes returned to state prisons in the diocese to minister to the incarcerated gathered in the chapels at London and Madison Correctional Institutions for prayer and washing of the feet.
Imitating Jesus’ sacred act at the Last Supper, the bishop knelt in front of each man in the chapels at each prison and, one by one, washed and dried their feet.
At London Correctional Institution, the bishop’s first stop on Thursday, March 28, he led approximately 15 men in morning prayer and reminded them that Christ instituted the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood on Holy Thursday. He was assisted in the washing of the feet by Father Pat Toner, the Catholic chaplain at London Correctional.
“It is a privilege, as the bishop of this diocese, to begin these holy three days with all of you,” Bishop Fernandes told the inmates.
“The twelve apostles were not perfect people. They were all sinners. Yet Jesus washed their feet. And through the power of His Holy Spirit, He would transform them into bold and courageous men. Not all were clean, but some were.
“And so, on this Holy Thursday I invite you to open your hearts to the Lord, to let His love purify you.”
Eric Humphries shared afterward that when Bishop Fernandes washed his feet “it was humbling. I felt I was cleansed and that it was kind of another form of baptism.”
Mickey Murrill said that “it was really humbling to have him wash my feet, because for someone with his stature in life, he actually gave his time and came in here to do that for us and show us how God’s love is abundant and that He’s got enough of it to spread around for everybody.
“No matter what your situation is in life, or how dark the world can be, there’s always light to be shone on everybody, and no matter who the individual is, it will be shone — especially in a place like this.”
Murrill, who has been incarcerated for seven years, said his life had sunk so low that he tried to commit suicide. Then, several years ago, he began to explore the Catholic faith after a fellow inmate invited him to attend Mass and Bible studies.
The former Southern Baptist said he realized that God had a plan for him. He began studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church and was baptized and confirmed as a Catholic in 2023.
His conversion awakened him to seeing the presence of Christ in his life, noting that “everything is more focused and clear. You see light shining in places where you didn’t notice it before. Things that used to be hard have become easier when I rely on God.”
Bishop Fernandes reminded the men at both prisons located in Madison County that “I, as the bishop of this diocese, am supposed to represent Christ, the Good Shepherd, in the midst of the flock. And you are part of that flock. And the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. Christ loves you very much, and we in the Diocese of Columbus, we pray for you, we care for you.
”And we hope that these three days (of the Sacred Triduum) will be truly glorious days so that on Sunday we can cry out together, ‘He is Risen. He is truly Risen.’”
