Angelus News | September 22, 2023, Vol. 8, Issue No. 19

Michael Ladisa and his wife, Monica, on the Sea of Galilee during a
2019 trip to the Holy Land. | COURTESY OF LADISA FAMILY
visiting the monks at the St. Andrew’s
Abbey, about an hour east from his
home. He made monthly visits for retreats
and confessions with Benedict,
who met Michael in 1992 and helped
him discern going into full-time prison
ministry.
Benedict was also fascinated about
how Michael described his life’s journey
— born Catholic, converted to
a Protestant at one point, then came
back to the Catholic Church later in
life.
“He had a humble demeanor, always
thinking of a holy life, but underestimating
what his own worth was,”
Benedict said. “I was always trying to
make him see he was doing things
God sent him to do. He accepted
people where they were.”
***
“I never met Michael Ladisa, yet the
life he lived touched mine in many
ways. … Michael had a profound
impact on my husband. He credits the
positive changes that he is making to
turn his/our life around, to Michael’s
godly leadership and caring.” — Note
written about Ladisa
***
The letters and notes weren’t the
only things that Monica discovered.
A few weeks after Michael’s death,
Monica visited a nearby storage unit
she knew he had been renting. She
had no idea what was inside.
What greeted her were walls of boxes
filled with clothes, books, and Bibles
he had collected for inmates.
But why clothes?
De Vivero found out that when some
inmates are released from the Santa
Barbara jail, it can happen in the
middle of a chilly night when they’re
wearing just the clothes they came in
with — T-shirts, shorts, and maybe
sandals. Michael took it upon himself
to have clothes ready.
Now Monica didn’t know what to do
with all this. She called De Vivero.
“He never told me about it,” De
Vivero said. “I sent one of our chaplains
over with his pickup truck to
bring it to our office. He needed two
trips to collect it all.”
***
“I knew Michael only by name and
reputation, as the well-respected and
beloved chaplain who helped turn
my husband, and many others lives,
around for the good. I am deeply grateful
for the life he lived … the effect he
had on this earth will ripple out into
eternity.” — Note written about Ladisa
***
Monica is even
more grateful that
she and Michael
took a trip to Jerusalem
last year
instead of waiting
to celebrate their
Michael Ladisa and former
LA Auxiliary Bishop
Robert Barron at the
LA Religious Education
Congress. | COURTESY
OF LADISA FAMILY
50th anniversary.
She plans to move to Wisconsin to
be near her daughter’s family and
grandchildren, living within walking
distance to the local Catholic Church.
Wrapping things up, Monica said
she went recently to close out Michael’s
post-office box. The bill was
past due. When Monica explained
what it was used for, they waived the
fees.
That’s where she picked up the latest
stack of note cards. De Vivero was
also collecting correspondence related
to him.
Benedict said he knew that as part
of Michael’s vigilance in educating
inmates about the Catholic faith, he
continued with letter-writing exchanges
long after some left prison.
“That wasn’t in his job description
— promoting fidelity to their faith,”
Benedict said. “As some leave jail,
they have no support system, so he
was really their spiritual director
through the letters he kept in correspondence.”
Monica said she wants all to know
she has found comfort in the words
and notes she continues to receive.
“I want to write back to every one of
them,” she said. “Some I have to tell
how Michael went to his just reward. I
will tell them all that, in my husband’s
honor, to please keep on the straight
and narrow.”
“I am overwhelmed by how many
he touched, and to think I had a
wonderful man for so many years, I’m
thankful to God.”
Tom Hoffarth is an award-winning
journalist based in Los Angeles.
It was 2020, and the world suddenly
lost its bustle. Isolated from the
workplace and other social contact,
we were left with ourselves, and none
of our distractions seemed adequate to
the task of amusing us. We were ready
to learn how to think.
It was 2020, and the world suddenly
lost its bustle. Isolated from the
workplace and other social contact,
we were left with ourselves, and none
of our distractions seemed adequate to
the task of amusing us. We were ready
to learn how to think.
Mike Aquilina is a contributing
editor to Angelus and author of many
books, most recently “Friendship and
the Fathers: How the Early Church
Evangelized” (Emmaus Road Publishing,
$22.95).
18 • ANGELUS • September 22, 2023 September 22, 2023 • ANGELUS • 19