Catholic woman says she 'accomplished some good' as prison chaplain

Published: 2004-11-24

ANAMOSA, Iowa (CNS) -- When Carol Potter returned to Iowa from California in 1997 to get her mother settled in an assisted living facility in Iowa City, taking a job as chaplain at the Iowa State Penitentiary at Anamosa was not in her plans. But that's what happened and she worked there for seven years. Potter, who recently resigned as chaplain to become a pastoral associate at St. Thomas More Parish in Iowa City, talked about her experience with The Witness, newspaper of the Dubuque Archdiocese. "I never really thought I had a calling," she said, remembering her hesitancy when she was first approached with the idea. But after seven years, she now says she "definitely learned a lot" from the job and although she added that it wasn't always easy, she said she thinks she "accomplished some good." With a prison population made up of mostly minorities, being white, female and Catholic caused some problems, she said, especially among black Muslims and fundamentalist Christians. There were a few times when she felt threatened, but it usually took place in group settings and if anyone became angry with her, other inmates stepped in and calmed the situation. "It takes time for people to get to know one another and build trust," she added. "But I feel that of the 1,350 inmates, I was accepted by about 80 percent of them."

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