Cardinal Blase Cupich delivered a heartfelt message of inclusion, hope and faith on Wednesday during a Christmas service held at Cook County Jail, reminding incarcerated individuals that they are “all part of the human family.”
Joined by members of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Cupich emphasized to the nearly 50 inmates gathered in Division 11 of the jail the importance that no one is forgotten during the holiday season.
“What it says to you and to the whole community here in Chicagoland is that everybody has to be included in the celebration, and we’re all a part of the human family,” he said.
Mark McCombs, executive director of Kolbe House Jail Ministry, reflected on the impact of the annual Christmas service, which marked its 42nd year at Cook County Jail.
“Every year is a completely renewed experience,” McCombs said. “I’ve done this now a number of times and it still amazes me the depth of feeling that everyone gets. You see it, not just with the individuals in custody, you see it with the correctional staff here. It reminds you again of the transformative nature of the word of God and the reminder, as Cardinal [Cupich] said, that we’re all God’s children.”
McCombs also noted the importance of keeping incarcerated individuals in mind throughout the year. “We hope people will remember individuals who are in custody. Not just on Christmas but all of the rest of the year,” he said. “Because 90% of the people who are in prison are going to be coming home, and to the extent to which we can make that transition better for them, it’s going to be better for everybody.”
Following Cupich’s service, members of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, including its founder, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, were joined by other leaders, including Rep. Danny Davis and the Rev. Charlie Dates, senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Armour Square.
Dates offered words of encouragement to those in attendance. "Some of you are here for the decisions you made and mistakes you made. Others of you may be here not because you made a mistake but because you were in a difficult place,” he said. “When we trust Jesus Christ, he is able to take the bad decisions we make, somehow turn them around and use them for his glory so that our mistakes don’t end us, but they bless us.”
During the event, advocates asked for a show of hands from inmates facing court dates in the next few months. After the majority of the inmates in attendance raised their hands, leaders encouraged them to remain hopeful about their cases.
Speaking passionately to the audience, Jackson repeated his signature message, “you are somebody,” and emphasized his commitment to civil rights. Though Parkinson’s disease has affected his energy and mobility, Jackson reassured inmates, “I am still on the battlefield.”
Cupich addressed the challenges of embracing one’s humanity.
“Maybe we’re afraid that our humanity in some way is very difficult to live with because we have limitations, we have failures. And yet it is precisely to those who are limited, those who are weak, those who are not counted as important, that God decides to reveal this plan of salvation,” he said.
As the Christmas services progressed, inmates began smiling, singing and dancing from their seats, moved by the sense of community, music and hopeful words.
Keyuana Muhammad, assistant executive director of programs for the Cook County Department of Corrections, highlighted the importance of initiatives like the Christmas services.
“It’s always a special time when we can bring together social justice advocates such as Rainbow PUSH and community leaders,” she said. “The Black church is an instrumental part of the fight for social justice, so it’s always a rewarding experience when the two can merge and provide a holiday experience for the individuals who are unfortunately in our custody during the Christmas season.”
Muhammad said she is grateful for the partnerships that make these initiatives possible. “I’m happy to be in a position like this, and I’m happy we have a sheriff who believes in community reentry and being partners with people in the community like Rainbow PUSH and churches because we can’t do it by ourselves,” she said. “It’s nice to know that we have some allies who are along for the ride to provide the best services and care that we can to people who are in our custody.”
Concluding his message, Cupich encouraged those present to let go of fear and embrace joy, tolerance and generosity.
“No matter where we are in life, no matter if we’re confined and our days are regimented by schedules that other people keep, there’s a joy in us that is filled with serenity and peace because we know that we don’t have to be afraid of our humanity,” he said.
He ended with a prayer. “Today, just like the shepherds on the hillside, you hear that first message: Don’t be afraid. Let’s make sure we celebrate that today as we celebrate the birth of Jesus,” he said.
As the services came to an end, Jackson and other leaders and advocates shook hands with inmates as they made their way through the room, wishing those in custody a Merry Christmas.
