ROCKFORD—Nathanial Davis has attended more than one Mass celebrated by Bishop David Malloy at the Winnebago County Jail, where he is an inmate.

He says he appreciates the encouragement given by the bishop. Then he reminisces a bit about working with his father on a paper route in Rockford when he was a kid. His dad now lives out west and is awaiting heart surgery — another reason Bishop Malloy’s assurances that God has not forgotten him are helpful.

Addressing those gathered as “brothers,” Bishop Malloy said on March 27 that this was his third Easter Mass celebrated at the Winnebago County Jail, and he called Easter Sunday “a day of being remade better, remade whole.”

He told the two dozen men seated before him in the jail pod that this Easter Mass was an effort by the Church to encourage them “to think about how much it is that (Jesus) loves us,” adding that “Easter is a source of hope for us, even if we have failed.”

He encouraged his listeners to read the Gospel story of Thomas, pointing out that Jesus had told the doubting Apostle to touch the wounds of His crucifixion.

“The body still has those wounds,” the bishop said, and those injuries had been glorified.

“To me, it says that whatever happened in the past is always part of us,” he said. “We will bear (those marks) to remember how much God loves us.”

As in the past, Bishop Malloy shared some of Pope Francis’ thoughts in his homily.

“One thing he’s big on is … mercy for inmates,” Bishop Malloy said. “He worries (some) will give up.” Bishop Malloy said the pope tells inmates, “ ‘Do not give up, do not see this as time to be wasted.’”

Most recently to Mexican prisoners, the pope said that celebrating the Jubilee of Mercy means “learning to open the door to the future,” Bishop Malloy said, and to know that God always is ready to forgive as soon as persons feel remorse for their actions and have a change of heart.

The bishop again spoke of comments he’s heard from people who have seen articles about Masses he has celebrated in various jails in the diocese.

One woman who spoke to him recently said her now-released brother attended a jail Mass a couple of years ago, saying that the Mass “meant a lot to him.” She added that the Mass “meant a great deal to the family,” the bishop said.

“Our presence here is first (a matter of) us for you,” Bishop Malloy said. “But I hope it is (also) a reminder to all of us that we need to remember you.”

After the Mass, while the bishop walked through the rows to meet and chat with each inmate, James Moore spoke about the basketball team at his parish, St. Edward in Rockford.

He grinned, saying St. Rita School always has a strong team, and that Holy Family’s has often proved to be talented as well.

His family gets The Observer, Moore said, and they also have enjoyed articles about the jail Masses. Echoing remarks from people inside and outside the jail, Moore expressed appreciation that the Church has not forgotten those who are incarcerated.