Weather 
LYNWOOD, Calif. () — For the first time, a Christmas Day Mass was held on Thursday inside the Century Regional Detention Facility, bringing a message of hope and forgiveness to women spending the holiday behind bars.
The service was led by Archbishop José H. Gomez, who celebrated Mass with incarcerated women and staff inside the Lynwood facility, the largest women’s jail in Los Angeles County. The Mass included prayer, song and Communion — a moment several inmates said stood out most to them.
During his homily, Gomez emphasized love and forgiveness, telling the women, “So this is what Jesus came to reveal at Christmas, that God is love. Jesus came as a child to show us how much he loves us.”
He also reminded them of their worth, saying, “We are also children of God, sons and daughters of God.”
The Mass was attended by Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna, who said the service aligned with the department’s focus on rehabilitation and second chances.
“This is all about giving people hope, and I thought the archbishop’s mass did that today for some of these ladies, and I believe that after what they heard today, some of them are going to change their life because the archbishop gave them hope,” Luna said.
Luna said he was moved by the women’s reactions throughout the service, “I saw tears, I saw big smiles, I saw joy,” he said.
Several inmates told Eyewitness News that the hardest part of spending Christmas behind bars is being away from family, but said the service gave them a sense of peace and renewal.
“We know that God is with us and we know God keeps us at peace and to do better,” said inmate Anabel Cortez.
Cortez described the Mass as a turning point.
“I think it’s like a new beginning as well, for myself, you know, and I guess it was something really beautiful that the sheriffs did for us,” she said.
Another inmate, Nadyne Perez, said the Christmas service strengthened her resolve not to return to jail.
“It was the first time, and it will be my last time, because I will not be returning to CRDF. I’m going to do better things with myself,” Perez said.
For Gloria Morante, the service was about feeling valued after a long period of self-doubt.
“All of us haven’t been able to feel pride in anything that we do for a while,” Morante said. “To feel valued, it’s just really beautiful.”
She added that the Mass helped restore her confidence and hope.
“A new chance and some hope and belief in ourselves again, you know?” Morante said. “It’s just inspired me again.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says the Mass was supported by its Religious and Volunteer Services Office, which coordinates religious programming inside county jails. Officials say the chaplaincy program is part of broader rehabilitation efforts aimed at helping incarcerated individuals prepare for life after custody.
When the service ended, the women returned to their housing units, and the jail resumed its normal schedule. But for many who attended, the Christmas morning Mass marked a moment of reflection — and a reminder of the possibility of starting over.
© 2025 Television,
