It is with great pleasure that I announce Sister Elizabeth O'Keefe, Catholic Chaplain as employee of the month. Sister Elizabeth began her career at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison (CVSP), on September 8, 1997. Without a Catholic Chaplain for two years, Sister was faced with a non-existent religious program. During two short years, she has successfully planned, organized and implemented a Catholic program responsive to the needs of CVSP Catholic inmates.

Sister Elizabeth has successfully recruited several priests from Blythe, Los Angeles, and the Coachella Valley to celebrate mass and hear confessions on all facilities. She has started classes to enable the inmate to receive the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Sister Elizabeth was instrumental in securing CVSP's first Catholic Volunteers. These volunteers offer Communion and Catechism. Several of these volunteers are bilingual opening up the Roman Catholic services to our non-English speaking inmates. Sister has acquainted the volunteers with a broad range of human needs within each facility.

The two high points in Sister Elizabeth's tenure have been Masses celebrated by Bishop Zavala, Los Angeles diocese and Bishop Barnes, San Bernardino diocese. Never before has a bishop celebrated Mass at CVSP. The most recent Mass by Bishop Barnes saw the fruits of Sister's work as three inmates received their First Holy Communion. She is active at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church and volunteers weekly at Eagle Mountain Community Correctional Facility.

Sister Elizabeth is a member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. Her enthusiasm and professional standards are refreshing. Her pleasant demeanor has a positive effect on everyone around her. We are blessed to have someone of her commitment and caring at CVSP.

D.K. Butler
Warden