“We prefer to use the word residents as opposed to inmates because we don’t want to use labels that lump people into categories,” explained Lillie Diaz.

After signing in, she and Michelle Tibbitts, her co-facilitator for the evening’s session with women, are accompanied by a corrections officer as they head to the meeting room. The topic that night for the 16 women in attendance was prayer. Participants were asked to share what they pray for and how they feel while praying.

“I cry to God and it’s like the biggest relief,” said one woman. “It takes all the pain and suffering off my shoulders.”

Another remarked, “I pray for deliverance from the addiction part of my life.”

A third resident added, “I feel relieved because I can actually turn my problems over to someone who can help me.”

“It has more of the feeling of being like a recovery group where people can be vulnerable,” Michelle said. “It’s less about us presenting to them than us being part of their sisterhood.”

Michelle said she was drawn to the ministry because when she was 18, she spent five days in jail. During her time there, she met a pastor who helped her understand that God has a plan and she was in jail for a reason.

“That little encounter changed everything in my life,” Michelle said. “I think maybe in this program we can touch someone’s heart in the same way. I think all of us volunteers were specifically chosen to be part of God’s story for these residents.”

Ministry volunteers also lead two men’s groups on Wednesday evenings. Juan Diaz, Lillie’s husband, is a leader on the male ministry team. He said in spring 2025, he was approached by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul diocesan council president about starting a ministry for the organization to support. At the same time, Pat McGervey, a parishioner at St. Joseph in Avon Lake, talked to Sister Rita Mary Harwood, SND — who has long been active in diocesan prison and jail ministries — about starting a program in Lorain County.

“With these two simultaneous forces at work, the Holy Spirit provided the perfect timing to get this program started,” Juan said. He also credited the Lorain County sheriff and other jail administrators for their help in formally launching the program last May, and said Sister Rita Mary provided valuable consultation.

The Lorain County Jail Ministry to the Incarcerated became the first of its kind to be supported by the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the Cleveland Diocese, as well as a potential model for other Northeast Ohio county jails. (See a related jail ministry story on page 12.)

Working at the jail has come full circle for Juan, who was a corrections officer there in his 20s and 30s.

“When I was a young corrections officer, I was always open to sharing my faith experiences, but I felt somewhat limited,” he recalled. “By doing this ministry, I am now becoming even more bold in sharing the Gospel and bringing up the Lord in everyday conversations — even with strangers — which is something I know God wants us to do to evangelize our faith.”

One man in a group that Juan recently helped facilitate shared how what he heard in the previous session helped him realize that God has him here for a specific purpose.

“Being here with this group has changed my whole outlook. It sounds kind of crazy, but I am glad to be in jail to have this experience,” he said.

“I feel God puts a lot of us behind these walls to get our attention,” said another resident who is scheduled to be released in about a month.

When asked how they would sum up the weekly visits, the men listed love, brotherhood and dependability.

“We look forward to these sessions,” said a participant. “It really touches us.”

Another remarked, “I have been reading the Bible for the last month and I feel less mad. My mood has been better.”

Juan emphasized to the men the importance of having the courage to take what they learn in the sessions and share it with others in their pod, the jail’s dormitory-style modules. One resident agreed, saying, “When you share with others, it can change the whole atmosphere of the pod. Everyone’s mood improves.”

During the weekly session, residents also have the opportunity for one-on-one prayer sessions with volunteers. Al Schiazza has been with the ministry since its inception and noted how individual prayer time allows volunteers to better understand the circumstances and challenges residents face. He recalled meeting one man who said coming to a session for the first time gave him courage to be more open to talking about Jesus. Al echoed the feeling, saying, “I feel like this has made us all bolder about sharing Jesus.” He said he and other volunteers get as much out of the sessions as the residents do.

“I never expected that. I feel like I’m a better person than when I started this.”

Learn More

For more information on the Lorain County Jail Ministry, call Juan Diaz at 216.899.8469 or email SVdP52@outlook.com.