32 Years of Loving and Serving More: PJPS Celebrates 32 Years of Prison Ministry

aanicolas9
1 day ago
3 min read

On July 18, 2026, the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service Foundation, Inc. gathered at L'Annunziata Parish in Muntinlupa City to celebrate 32 years of prison ministry, service, friendship, and hope.

The anniversary carried the theme, “Magis: Loving and Serving More, with Listening Hearts, Compassionate Service.”

For PJPS, Magis is not simply about doing more. It is about loving more deeply. Serving more generously. Listening more attentively. And responding more faithfully to the needs of Persons Deprived of Liberty, Persons Restored of Liberty, and their families.

The celebration began with a Thanksgiving Mass, a moment to pause and remember that this mission has always been sustained by God's grace. For 32 years, PJPS has been blessed with people who choose to accompany others in difficult places and challenging circumstances.

The ministry of prison service begins with listening.

It means listening to stories that are often overlooked.

Listening to wounds that may have remained unspoken for years.

Listening to hopes that continue to survive even in the midst of hardship.

And listening to the quiet movements of God in the lives of the people we accompany.

Through the years, PJPS has witnessed that transformation does not always happen through grand gestures. Sometimes, it begins with a simple conversation. A visit. A prayer. A formation session. A helping hand. A second chance. A person who chooses to believe that life can still begin again.

This anniversary was also a celebration of the many people who have walked with PJPS throughout its journey. Volunteers, friends, benefactors, partners, and supporters were remembered with deep gratitude. Their generosity and commitment have helped sustain the mission and make it possible for PJPS to continue reaching out to people inside and beyond prison walls.

During the celebration, individuals and organizations who have offered outstanding support to PJPS were also recognized and honored. Their service reminds us that prison ministry is never the work of one person or one organization alone. It is a mission carried forward by a community of people who believe in the dignity of every person and the possibility of transformation.

The celebration also became a joyful occasion through the performance of Musikalayaan. With their talents and music, they expressed their gratitude to everyone who continues to support and believe in them.

Their performance was more than entertainment.

It was a celebration of gifts rediscovered.

It was a reminder that a person's past does not have to define the entirety of their future.

It was a beautiful expression of gratitude from people who continue to journey toward healing, restoration, and new beginnings.

As PJPS celebrates 32 years, the mission continues to invite us to ask a deeper question:

How can we love and serve more?

Perhaps the answer begins by listening.

Listening before judging.

Listening before assuming.

Listening to the person behind the case, the uniform, the label, or the circumstance.

Because every person carries a story. Every person possesses dignity. And every person, with the right support and accompaniment, can still experience hope and transformation.

The 32nd Anniversary of PJPS was not only a celebration of the past. It was also a renewal of commitment for the future.

A commitment to continue accompanying Persons Deprived of Liberty, Persons Restored to Liberty, and their families.

A commitment to continue serving with compassion.

A commitment to continue believing in restoration.

A commitment to continue responding to God's call through the spirit of Magis.

For 32 years, PJPS has journeyed with many people.

And the journey continues.

With listening hearts.

With compassionate service.

With grateful hearts.

And with the courage to love and serve more.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.