Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM)

Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) is the prison ministry of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America.

Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) proclaims the love of Christ to men and women who are incarcerated. We do this by applying the teachings of the Orthodox Faith to correspond with thousands of prisoners, providing them personalized spiritual care, Bibles, books, icons, catechism, and study courses. For those wishing to live an Orthodox way of life, we advocate on their behalf for correctional facilities around the country to recognize the Orthodox faith, so that priests can enter prison facilities and administer the Sacraments. As the national prison ministry of the Orthodox Church, we provide resources and training to local parishes and clergy, enabling them to offer local solutions and fulfill Christ’s command to visit Him in prison. As a result, families are reunited, marriages are healed, and thousands of incarcerated men and women have a new sense of peace and restored order in their lives.

We are just a few weeks away from this special event at St. Nicholas Shrine in New York City! Over the course of two day...
10/07/2026

We are just a few weeks away from this special event at St. Nicholas Shrine in New York City! Over the course of two days, Fr. John and Fr. Stephen will share lessons and personal accounts on forgiveness and the sanctity of life, drawing from their combined years of experience in prison ministry.

Whether you're local to New York, the surrounding area, or planning a trip out, we hope you can join us for this insightful event.

To register, visit https://theocpm.org/stnicholas

10/07/2026

OUT NOW! S1 E3 // When the Justice System is Not Just

For our third episode of Prison Ministry Diaries, Niko, Fr. John, and Fr. Stephen are opening up an uncomfortable conversation that anyone doing prison ministry will have to reckon with at some point: how are we to respond when we witness clear examples of injustice?

Listen on Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or RSS wherever you get podcasts.

Last weekend, OCPM flew to Reno, NV, for a retreat centered on "Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone." Fr. Stephen shared h...
10/05/2026

Last weekend, OCPM flew to Reno, NV, for a retreat centered on "Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone." Fr. Stephen shared his inspiring journey to becoming a chaplain, along with powerful stories of monastics in prison, the ministry of presence, and personal reflections from his years in prison ministry.

A special thank you to our board member Larry Fitterer and St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church for hosting this incredible weekend!

ADVOCATE SPOTLIGHT: Angela Santana!We’re excited to highlight Angela Santana—an OCPM Advocate and 2026 Certificate Progr...
10/02/2026

ADVOCATE SPOTLIGHT: Angela Santana!

We’re excited to highlight Angela Santana—an OCPM Advocate and 2026 Certificate Program graduate—who recently shared insights into her prison ministry journey, parish initiatives, and the simple conviction that drives this work.

Ready to join our advocate team? Come to our next Advocate Meeting on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 8:00 PM EST via Zoom. There will be a brief orientation for old and new advocates, followed by dedicated time to exchange ideas, share parish experiences, and explore new opportunities for launching prison ministry initiatives in your home parish.

Head to the link in our bio to RSVP!

We heard it's the name day of His Eminence Archbishop Michael! Over the last three years of our certificate program, His...
09/30/2026

We heard it's the name day of His Eminence Archbishop Michael!

Over the last three years of our certificate program, His Eminence has graciously joined us at commencement to encourage our graduates before they begin their individual prison ministry journeys. We are truly thankful for his constant presence, care, and steadfast support of our graduates and ministry.

May God grant him many blessed years!

"As I continued my first steps into prison ministry, one question kept returning to me: if we were given an hour to sit ...
09/30/2026

"As I continued my first steps into prison ministry, one question kept returning to me: if we were given an hour to sit with those incarcerated, what could we offer that would still be useful after that hour was over?"
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Read our latest post on Substack, Stories of Faith, by Matthew Ozvat. To receive these stories straight to your inbox, head to the link in our bio and subscribe to our Substack!

Suffer with You is a collection of three essays from people on various sides of the U.S. prison system, all approaching ...
09/29/2026

Suffer with You is a collection of three essays from people on various sides of the U.S. prison system, all approaching the theme of forgiveness.

Because each of us has experienced forgiveness in our lives, whether giving or receiving it, this book is great to read in community. We asked our staff to share a few excerpts that stood out to them most (swipe through to read!).

Which excerpt resonates most with you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you want to go even deeper, download our free study guide for reflection questions and journal prompts to help guide the conversation - use it with a friend or start a church book club! https://theocpm.org/suffer-with-you/

Last month, while traveling to St. Tikhon's for the Fr. Duane Pederson Outstanding service award, the OCPM Board of Trus...
09/25/2026

Last month, while traveling to St. Tikhon's for the Fr. Duane Pederson Outstanding service award, the OCPM Board of Trustees visited SCI Waymart for vespers.

After spending the previous night honoring Fr. John and Fr. Stephen for their lifelong work in prison ministry, it was a blessing for all of us to stand alongside him as he did what he does best.

We are so grateful to Superintendent Reed Davy, and all of the staff at SCI waymart for the opportunity to partake in such a meaningful and memorable vespers service.

Matthew Ozvat is an Orthodox Christian and parishioner of St. Spyridon Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, where he s...
09/24/2026

Matthew Ozvat is an Orthodox Christian and parishioner of St. Spyridon Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, where he serves as a volunteer in local jail and prison ministry. Through regular visits with incarcerated men, he participates in Scripture study, prayer, fellowship, and programs designed to help inmates and volunteers encounter Christ within each other. His writing reflects on these experiences from the perspective of a lay volunteer, exploring the ways prison ministry transforms not only those who are incarcerated, but also those who enter the jail to serve.

Head to the link in our bio to read his full story on the OCPM Substack.

We are so delighted to share that Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry will be doing a series of talks at St. Nicholas Nat...
09/24/2026

We are so delighted to share that Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry will be doing a series of talks at St. Nicholas National Shrine next month. This two-day event will feature a three-part series centered on the sanctity of life.

Drawing from their combined decades of pastoral experience in prison ministry, Fr. John Kowalczyk and Fr. Stephen Powley will offer theological reflections and practical insight on topics including abortion, capital punishment, forgiveness, loving our neighbor, and Christ’s call to serve those who are incarcerated.

Each session will conclude with a question-and-answer period, providing attendees the opportunity for further discussion and engagement.

We hope you'll join us for this impactful weekend. Register at the link below: https://theocpm.org/stnicholas

Address

276 5th Avenue Suite 704-3183
New York, NY
10001

Telephone

+13478686957

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