Volunteer has spent 50 years dedicated to responding to the call in Matthew 25

Intermountain Catholic

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Illa Wright has been the diocesan Detention Ministry leader for decades; she has received dozens of awards and recognitions, but says for her, the best thing is being able to serve.

MURRAY —For decades, Illa Wright has put into action the words of Matthew 25:35-36: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

Wright arrived in Utah 50 years ago. She has been involved with the Black Catholics of Utah for many years and also is coordinator of the Detention Ministry for Salt Lake County. Her journey in to the prison ministry has been long, but very rewarding, she said.

She started visiting the Utah state prison with Monsignor Victor G. Bonnell, who was then a prison chaplain. She also started going to the Wasatch prison with Holy Cross Sister Joan Allem.

"I would go on Sundays and Fridays and we visited the incarcerated and the youth," said Wright. "Together with Msgr. Bonnell, we also used to celebrate ethnic holidays for the incarcerated in the prisons."

Msgr. Bonnell recalls that Wright was very helpful to him. "When I was a chaplain at the prison she came every week and helped me set up everything for Mass. She was very good with them (the inmates)," he said.

After Msgr. Bonnell took another assignment, Wright continued her ministry. Then people who were incarcerated started asking her to visit their families, too.

And that’s exactly what she did. She also began a rosary-making class at the jails.

"We used to make rosaries for the inmates and they would mail them to their families, which was very interesting," said Wright.

When she expanded her visits to the metro jail in Salt Lake City, she realized that, to be able to continue with the ministry, she needed the help of volunteers.

"Since my phone is in the diocese directory, I started receiving phone calls from Bountiful, from everywhere and in the meantime I was visiting, so I thought what we needed was a particular person in each place," Wright said. "That way I was able to get volunteers."

She now organizes more than a dozen volunteers who reach out to those who are incarcerated.

Another of Wright’s accomplishments is that, with the help of Vicar General Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, the county commissioners and the jail administrators, Mass is offered in Salt Lake City’s Oxbow Jail.

"The priest would go, and I would do a little Bible study while the father did the confessions," said Wright.

Wright finds the motivation and energy to continue helping others through her family, which is her biggest support. "I could not do all this without the support of my family and with the help of the volunteers," said Wright. "It’s something that God calls us to do the Holy Spirit guides us."

The Prison and Detention Ministry provides Mass, Bible study, counseling and the Sacraments for inmates of public institutions.