“Hard Time” Prison Reflections from Patrick O’Neill (transcribed and edited by J. Mark Davidson) March 1, 2021 In this most recent reflection, Patrick shares his conversations with fellow prisoners – mostly sex offenders who are facing long prison sentences – and how they deal with time behind bars. “A lot of guys in here have…

February 17th, 2021 Ash Wednesday Women’s Federal Prison Camp Father Iwaji came to the camp this morning for Mass. The crucifix, chalice, and candlesticks were a sight for sore eyes. Seeing the white altar cloth and purple vestments after weeks of institutional grey and beige, along with unpainted concrete and razor wire, was a rich…

January 30th 2021 Today is Gandhi’s death day and I dipped into Robert Ellsberg’s All Saints, of which there are two copies in the Chapel library here. Gandhi brought nonviolence as political struggle to the modern world–just in case we missed the message as presented to us by Jesus! Clearly Christianity has not brought us…

“Different Rules Apply” February 24, 2021 Kings Bay Plowshares 7 Support for Patrick O’Neill and Family (transcribed and edited from Patrick’s letters by J. Mark Davidson) We are with Patrick in Spirit and in prayer, now in month 2 of his 14-month sentence. From his tightly scrawled letters, we know that he is currently being…

Martha Prison Reflection Feb. 11, 2021 Robert Ellsberg inspired me today with his writing of A. J. Muste in All Saints and “Blessed Among Us” in Give Us This Day. “Nonconformity, Holy Disobedience, becomes a virtue…to go along is used as an instrument to subject men to totalitarian rule and involved them in permanent war.”…

Martha’s Prison Diary Dec. 15th 2020 Matt. 21: “Son go out and work in the vineyard today.” “John came in the way of righteousness, the lowly believed, you did not.” 28 hours now in the same room alone. I have to be let out to use the toilet. The food is bearable, drinking water OK.…

Is it true that the wind Streaming especially in fall Through the pines Is saying nothing, nothing at all, Or is it just that I don’t yet know the language? Mary Oliver – “Wind in the Pines” There is a row of thirteen white pines that look to be perhaps 40 years old, on the…

As compiled by Rev. J. Mark Davidson, Kings Bay Plowshares 7 Support Group for Patrick O’Neill and Family February 13, 2021 Patrick O’Neill, Kings Bay Plowshares 7 anti-nuclear peace activist, began serving his 14-month sentence in the Elkton federal prison, Lisbon, Ohio, on January 14, 2021. This being a time of pandemic, upon entering the…

The Citadel of Calamity (Sent to Nuclear Resister) January 13, 2021 I write to you, my dear readers, from Danbury FCI, sitting atop the most lovely hill on the western border of Connecticut. I don’t know who the first people were who walked this place before white displacement but I’m sure it was sacred, now…

January 27, 2021 Today’s parable in Mark 4:1-20 is “a sower went out to sow.” The mystery of the Kingdom of God is granted to us. I’m still trying to understand any and all of the parables. This prison seems to have both barren and rich soil. And plenty of thorns and thistles to navigate…