My girlfriend of 11 years and I just returned from 4 days in Chicago( yes, I’m a Brother with a girlfriend, we don’t take vows of celibacy in the OFC) we were at the American Library Association 2026 annual conference. We came home with a huge hoard of books 99% of these books will be redistributed and re-donated within our community. Education and literacy is very important to us both.  we both make our money as civil servants. you would think that there’s a lot of money to be made working for the government there really isn’t. I’ve worked for the government in both county and state roles for 25 years, I’m just now making a comfortable amount of money. My girlfriend has a masters degree and, I make much more than she does. I’ve also been working in government longer than she has though. The first 24 years I worked in county Corrections. This absolutely is not a glorious job whatsoever. It gave me PTSD, institutionalization, and a fear of people on the outside. I don’t recommend it to anyone unfortunately it’s one of those jobs that has to be done.  when I took this job, I was working in a service position of a small neighborhood Catholic school, which no longer exists. I thought I can make a difference in people’s lives so I went. I saw one person in 24 years who actually reformed their life, out of thousands. this is part of the reason I feel that education is so very important if some of these people actually would’ve had a chance and were given a chance to be educated they most likely would not have ended up the way that they did, unfortunately, this country no longer cares about education the way it once appeared to. a majority of people in our jails in prisons cannot even read, not just above a fourth grade level, but at all. What is the answer? I wish I knew.
Chicago
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One response to “Chicago”
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Thank you for sharing your heart, Brother Em.
First, I’m glad you and your girlfriend had the opportunity to attend the conference and bring back so many books to share with your community. That is a ministry in itself. Every book placed into someone’s hands is an opportunity for a new idea, a new skill, or a new hope to take root.
Thank you also for your honesty about your years in corrections. Many people never see the emotional and spiritual cost carried by those who work in those environments. Your willingness to serve, despite the personal toll it took, speaks to a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
Your observation about education resonates with me. While education alone cannot solve every problem, it can open doors that poverty, trauma, addiction, and systemic injustice have long kept shut. Literacy is about more than reading words on a page—it’s about giving people the tools to understand the world, advocate for themselves, and imagine a different future.
As Franciscan Clareans, we believe transformation rarely happens through punishment alone. It happens through compassion, opportunity, community, healing, and hope. Every person bears the image of God, even when that image has been buried beneath years of hardship and pain.
We may not have all the answers, but we can continue doing what Jesus did: meeting people where they are, restoring their dignity, feeding minds as well as bodies, and refusing to give up on anyone.
Thank you for being part of that work. May God continue to bless you both as you plant seeds of knowledge, compassion, and hope—one book, one conversation, and one act of love at a time.
Peace and every good. — Sister Abigail Hester, OFC
Brother Emilie Joseph, OFC 
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