The Catholic Diocese of Fresno held a mass Monday morning. However, instead of a church it was held in a place you wouldn’t expect.
“It was my very first time getting into a detention center, for ICE,” said Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno.
Bishop Brennan says deciding to come out to the Core Civic facility in California City was a no brainer.
Although media wasn’t allowed to film the mass, Bishop Brennan says it was an uplifting morning with around 70 detainees in attendance, giving them a sense of community.
“These are my people,” said Bishop Brennan. “I need to be there, they need that presence and I want to accompany them.”
ICE detention centers nationwide have been in the spotlight, facing intense public scrutiny and sparking protests. Critics allege harsh, inhumane conditions, insufficient medical care, and dangerous overcrowding — charges that continue to fuel outrage and calls for reform.
It caught the attention of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issuing a statement in November that read in part, quote, “We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.”
The CoreCivic detention center in California City opened in August of 2025, and is the state's largest detention center in the state, with the capacity to hold up to 2,560 people.
This visit sought to nourish the soul, celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, and offering a moment of spiritual peace amid the uncertainty.
“They’re hurting, they’re looking for someone to listen to them, they’re looking for someone to literally bare their soul to,” said Bishop Brennan.
According to bishop Brennan, this is only the beginning for him. Planning to visit more detention centers throughout the Central Valley and one day, returning to California city.
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