March 3 Rev Cathy Zappa

Today's honoree is someone whom I just learned about recently. Her name is Cathy Zappa.


She is an Episcopal priest serving at The Cathedral of St Philip in Atlanta who is also the spiritual director of the only woman on Georgia's Death Row. [ that is fodder for another essay entirely}


Rev Zappa, as a prison  chaplain, ministers to and with some of society's most-despised citizens. While I do not condone what many of the people in America's penal system have done, I DO believe it is our duty as citizens of a civilized society to respect the dignity of each and every person. And ESPECIALLY as people of faith, those of us who follow Christ as our Lord and Savior are MANDATED to serve the downtrodden and the despised. There are many examples in the four Gospel lessons of Jesus our Savior serving those  in his society that were "untouchables". Whether we like it or not, we are also called to do the same here and now.


I shall admit that prison ministry is NOT something that I am called to do. But all of us can support those such as Rev Zappa who ARE serving among those in our prison systems. She is doing what very few people will do and for her service I commend her.


Amen.