 I love doing volunteer work in a jail in my neighborhood of Trastevere, Rome. It's a world completely apart and it's a rare privilege to know it.
The Chaplain that has worked in the same prison for more than 25 years is right when he says that inside those walls runs a stream of grief.
This is a prison where all sorts of criminals are taken waiting to appear in court, to be judged and sent to other jails all over Italy.
We listen to the most incredible stories. We phone families and lawyers, we build a friendly relationship with our "friends". Their dramas become ours and stay with us well after we leave those barred doors.
Sometimes, though, there's an episode that makes us smile and very sad at the same time. I remember when at Xmas time a prisoner was very sad because his kids didn't visit him. I asked why. The answer came quickly. "Because I killed their mother!".
Good food for thought.
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