Catherine De Souza

No one is beyond hope... God can transform any life

Elim minister Catherine De Souza took up the reins as the new CEO at Prison Fellowship from September 2024. As she prepared for her new role, she told us about her passion for its life-changing ministry

Catherine, tell us about your new job and how you feel about this next step in your ministry.

I’m taking over as CEO of Prison Fellowship England and Wales on 2 September. I’m thrilled to be joining them and I’m looking forward to working with the board, staff team, volunteers and supporters. It’s a privilege to be taking on the leadership of such an impactful ministry as we respond to the growing need across the prison system. Prison Fellowship helps demonstrate God’s heart for marginalised people and we get to play our part in seeing lives and communities transformed.

Although Dominic and I are moving on from the leadership of City Church Cardiff, we will always carry a piece of the church in our hearts and will continue to cheer them on. As we move into a new season of ministry, it’s great to continue being part of the Elim family.

How did you get involved with Prison Fellowship and prison ministry?

I first sensed a calling to prison ministry a number of years ago. I went to Malawi to train pastors to run Alpha and heard brilliant stories of how God was using Alpha in prisons. While I was there God spoke to me about becoming involved in this ministry myself.

I’ve known Prison Fellowship for a while because prior to pastoring I was on the leadership team of Langley Trust and before that I worked with Alpha for Prisons and Caring for Ex-Offenders. I interacted and partnered with Prison Fellowship through these roles and grew to understand their work and impact.

So you were well prepared for this role?

Yes, it’s a real joy to follow God’s leading and he’s used my experience in criminal justice as well as church leadership to prepare me. Both will be really useful when I’m interacting with people in prison, staff and volunteers, as well as with churches and church leaders.

Why are you so passionate about prison ministry?

As Prison Fellowship says, “no one is beyond hope and every life can be transformed.” I’ve had the joy of knowing men and women whose lives have been completely changed by the love of God.

I know people who were once defined by the worst thing they’d ever done, who lived in despair and shame and were caught in a cycle of reoffending, destruction and pain; then they encountered hope and now live changed, crime-free, flourishing lives.

What opportunities do you see to expand Prison Fellowship’s work?

Prison Fellowship has the privilege of ministering in all of the prisons in England and Wales and has a strong volunteer base too, but the need is significant and demand for its programmes is increasing. That’s both in terms of the number of people in prison but also the knock-on effect on families and communities. Our challenge will be to meet that need, but it’s so encouraging to know there are chaplains, governors and others working in prisons who are contacting Prison Fellowship because they want more of our programmes.

Prison Fellowship has a history of prayer and innovation. How will you continue that?

Prison Fellowship England and Wales started 45 years ago as a movement of prayer and, as we know, prayer changes things! Over time Prison Fellowship gained permission to work in prisons and has continued to innovate in the way it works to respond to the varying and growing needs across the prison system.

That said, one thing I find really encouraging is that the foundation of prayer has never changed and Christ remains very much at the centre. I’m excited to continue this.

The chair of our board, Peter Harlock, says “God is doing the same thing in new and different and exciting ways.” I feel a real sense of that as I join Prison Fellowship – there will be new, exciting and different things, but equally an unchanging commitment to showing Christ’s love to people in prison and those who are affected by imprisonment.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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