Sketchbooks are created and donated by GSCS students as an outreach to prisoners
This story was originally published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and is used with permission.
By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News
A collection of lovingly decorated, hand-made sketchbooks were recently delivered to the Catholic Pastoral Centre.
Filled with blank pages for drawing and sketching, the books will find their way into the hands of men at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre after a local Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) high school class responded to a suggestion by Dianne Anderson of the diocesan Restorative Ministry Office.
Teacher Frances Veslinos approached Anderson for project ideas for Grade 9 students at Bethlehem Catholic High School in Saskatoon to undertake as a way to learn more about prison ministry and assist with outreach to men at the Correctional Centre.
Men in prison who wish to sketch and draw will often ask Anderson for paper when she meets with them as part of providing Catholic ministry at the Correctional Centre. “But the rules say that they are not allowed to have coil-bound sketch books,” she explains.
The sketch books created by the students have no coils – and they come with artwork and inspirational messages the students created for the covers.
Drawings, designs and bright colours decorate the covers, with many accompanied by messages such as: “Never give up because great things take time,” “Always rooting for you,” “God loves you,” “You can do this,”“God is here,” “Small steps every day” or short passages from scripture.
Dianne Anderson explains that coil-bound sketchbooks are not permitted for men at Saskatoon Correctional Centre — the non-coil books created and donated by students are a welcome donation, she says. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)“These sketch books are so beautiful, and the messages are so meaningful. I am so impressed and so happy,” said Anderson, visibly moved by the donation.
For more information about the Office of Restorative Ministry and prison outreach in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon funded by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal – contact Dianne Anderson at danderson@rcdos.ca.
