By Valerie Schmalz
“As we honor victims and survivors, we affirm that their pain matters, their stories matter, and their rights matter,” said Archdiocese of San Francisco Restorative Justice Ministry coordinator Julio Escobar, speaking to those incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and the others who had come to join the Day of Healing at the state prison during National Victims’ Rights Week April 24.
Whether they are incarcerated for two years or for 30, the prisoners at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center are called as part of their rehabilitation to acknowledge their guilt and the pain they have caused. That was one of the top focuses of the Day of Healing at the Marin County state prison during National Victims’ Rights Week.
Nationally Victims’ Right Week raises awareness of the rights of victims, and the need to care for them, said Escobar, whose Catholic archdiocesan ministry helps the formerly incarcerated, provides healing opportunities for survivors of homicide and oversees jail ministry.
“Our faith calls us to stand with those who have suffered harm, to uphold their dignity, and to ensure their voices are never forgotten or overshadowed,” said Escobar. And he reminded those present: “I want to ground us in the truth of Psalm 34:18, which reminds us that ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’”
The 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. event consisted of speeches from San Quentin residents and attendees, a walk of remembrance, and performances. Escobar was joined by several members of the Catholic Restorative Justice Ministry, including formerly incarcerated people.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco Restorative Justice Ministry includes ministry to victims, particularly survivors whose family members died via homicide, the Excell Network scholarship and mentor program for formerly incarcerated, jail ministry and the annual Archdiocese of San Francisco Reentry Conference & Expo, which draws more than 1,000 each year.
Members of the Restorative Justice Ministry praying outside San Quentin on the Day of Healing.
Inaugurated in 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieve justice for all victims of crime, according to a statement of the US Department of Justice. This year National Crime Victims’ Rights Week was April 19–25, 2026.
The Day of Healing is one more way of interacting with the men in San Quentin, and way to help them toward rehabilitation, Escobar said.
Escobar read to those present the Victims’ Rights Statement, which he said “is more than a policy or a principle — it is a moral commitment. It reflects our belief that every person is made in the image of God, deserving of compassion, justice, and protection.”
The San Francisco Police Department also held a walk of remembrance in San Francisco for victims. SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who attended the Day of Healing, has touted the importance of dialoguing with men and women to find out what works in rehabilitation, to prevent future crime and protect victims. The Healing, Reform and Reentry Partnership’s goal is “to develop innovative crime prevention and intervention strategies to make communities safer by engaging with those who are incarcerated and leveraging their unique insights and perspectives about the types of programs and initiatives that would have been most effective in preventing or intervening in their criminal behavior.”
For more on the Victims’ Rights Statement, go here.
To learn more about the Archdiocese of San Francisco Restorative Justice Ministry, go here.
