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In Louisiana, Catholic Death-Row Inmates Will Have Access To Mass

By Howard M. Friedman

Catholic prisoners on death row at Louisiana's maximum-security state penitentiary at Angola will now have an opportunity to celebrate mass. Yesterday's New Orleans Times-Picayune reports on a settlement reached in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of death-row inmate Donald Lee Leger who objected that mostly Baptist religious services were shown on television sets. Only one Catholic Mass was televised to death-row inmates between June and December 2008. Under the settlement, the prison will offer inmates the opportunity to view Catholic mass on television, while other prisoners who prefer Baptist preachers will be offered earphones to listen to them instead. Also Catholic clergy will be welcome to hold Mass on death row and hear inmates' confessions, which will not be recorded or monitored. Outside of death row, Angola prison has seven churches and a Bible College. (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on July 07, 2009 (boomark / email).