Three things a prison chaplain wants you to know about inmates

Brian Brglez is a chaplain at Stony Mountain Institution in Manitoba. Before coming to work at Stony Mountain he spent 30 years as a church chaplain, all the while volunteering in prisons in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Stony Mountain Institution houses maximum, medium and minimum-security prisoners and Brian works with all of them.

He spoke to Now or Never's Ify Chiwetelu about  his unique perspective on prisoners, incarceration, and surprising facts about prison life.

Brian Brglez, as told to Now or Never

1. Many inmates feel shame and remorse for their crimes

If I was taken aback by one thing when I started as a prison chaplain, it was my pleasant surprise to learn how many inmates feel a lot of shame and remorse for what they've done. I made the assumption that maybe they'd be proud or arrogant, boasting about their crimes… and then I came and it wasn't the case.

When you work as a chaplain you really get behind the masks that these guys carry. I discovered that there are a lot of guys here who are living with a lot of shame. They carry a lot of guilt and they are truly, truly sorry. Not everyone by any means, but there are many of them that are very sorry for what they've done and for how they hurt their victims.

2. We're not soft on crime, but it's important to treat these men like people

I think the public perception is that all these guys should be locked up for life. You know, lock the doors and throw away the keys. But many of these guys are sons, fathers and grandfathers. Yes, some of them have done horrific things but in the end they're real human beings and a high majority of them will return to the community.

We're not soft on crime. We're not soft on what they did. But we need to realize that if these men are treated like animals they will return to our neighbourhoods and communities like animals. But if compassion, care and spirituality are offered to them and they're allowed to regain the dignity of fellow man, then the truth is these guys will hopefully return to our neighbourhoods and communities better than when they came into the prison.

3. Yes, prison weddings happen

We do have weddings, in fact. The prisoners have the right to get married here in the institution. Our weddings are always held on Friday mornings at 9 a.m. Now, as chaplains we don't do weddings. It's usually a marriage commissioner that comes in from the city. A guy will apply to have a wedding and we bring in the marriage commissioner. On the day of the wedding his bride comes and sometimes a few guests and family members. A cake is brought out. In fact, the inmate has to order the cake from the kitchen. And sure enough on Friday mornings if there's a wedding to be had, we'll have it. Then there's a bit of a celebration. And after the wedding the inmate will go back to his range and the bride, unfortunately, leaves the institution.

This interview has been edited and condensed.