Steve came to join the iTHIRST team with the second Seton Hall cohort in the Spring of 2021.  A man of great faith, Steve had been discerning a call to prison ministry when he attended a Legatus meeting in April 2021 and met Keaton, the Executive Director of iTHIRST, who was giving a presentation to his chapter. Their conversation helped Steve understand that a knowledge of the disease of addiction would certainly help him, minister, to the incarcerated, as, according to prisonpolicy.org, nearly two-thirds of all those in jail are suffering from substance use disorders. Steve signed up right away!

Although there is yet to be a grand parish plan in place for iTHIRST, Steve has found his ITSC training very useful, using it, “almost exclusively on a one-on-one basis.” Said Steve, “There are a lot of people hurting, mostly men, who reach out to me about getting their faith life in a better place. Sometimes the inspiration is the loss of a job, issues with their kids, or marital struggles. I am finding that the training has made me much better equipped to listen and support, as opposed to trying to solve.”

As Steve continues to interact with the bereavement and other ministries in his parish to seek avenues of collaboration, he knows that his ITSC training will serve him well whether he is working with the incarcerated, or anyone else in need of spiritual consolation.   “There is a growing interest in people wanting to deepen their faith. The Holy Spirit has me in the right place at the right time.”  Indeed He does, Steve!  Keep up the good work!