--- title: "Book.ed: Light Through the Bars" description: Fr. Babychan Arackathara, MSFS, speaks to Amy Cattapan about his book 'Light Through the Bars.' image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/booked-1024x512.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/booked-light-through-the-bars#) [BOOKS](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/books) # Book.ed: Light Through the Bars Feb 13, 2021 8:30:00 AM  |  by [Amy J. Cattapan](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/amy-j-cattapan) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/booked-1024x512.jpg) *Fr. Babychan Arackathara, MSFS, speaks to Amy Cattapan about his book *Light Through the Bars. Spiritual reads provide food for our soul and nourishes our intellect. Shalom World introduces you to a series of Christian books that have the potential to change your lives and guide you in your Christian walk. Stay tuned with us as we review them from a unique perspective. In this episode of BOOK.eD, Amy Cattapan interviews Fr. Babychan Arackathara, MSFS, who spent years as a chaplain in South African prisons. Fr. Babychan has seen the brokenness of offenders and suggests solutions to break the chain of trauma and crimes in his book [***Light Through the Bars.***](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QFRV9DL/) Would punishment bring about rehabilitation?   > [CLICK TO TWEET > Can we move to the ideal of hating the crime, but loving the criminal? #catholicmom](https://ctt.ac/75QVi) #### From the Publisher: “Lock them up and throw away the key!” is a cry we hear often in South Africa today. But this simplistic solution to crime simply isn’t working. As Father Babychan Arackathara, a Catholic chaplain to some of the Western Cape’s most notorious prisons, shows in this compassionate reflection on his work, even criminals have stories, and crime invariably has roots. He listens to those stories and untangles those roots on our behalf, sharing insights into the brokenness of our society and communities – and offering real, workable suggestions for fixing them. Can we move to the ideal of hating the crime, but loving the criminal? What must we do to see that offenders are themselves victims and to engage them constructively? How do we break the cycles of addiction, trauma and crime to reach for reconciliation and transformation?   ![Light through the bars](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Light%20through%20the%20bars.jpg?width=600&name=Light%20through%20the%20bars.jpg) --- Copyright 2021 Amy J. Cattapan ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbooked-light-through-the-bars%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbooked-light-through-the-bars%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbooked-light-through-the-bars%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Book.ed%3A%20Light%20Through%20the%20Bars) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbooked-light-through-the-bars%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fbooked-light-through-the-bars%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Amy J. Cattapan](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Amy%20Cattapan%202026.png) ### [Amy J. Cattapan](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/amy-j-cattapan) Amy J. Cattapan is an author, speaker, and middle school teacher in the Chicago area. Her books include Sweet Jesus, Is It June Yet, A Saint Squad for Teachers, and Hope Without Borders: 30 Days with Frances Xavier Cabrini, as well as the award-winning novels Angelhood and Seven Riddles to Nowhere. She often speaks at conferences and leads retreats for teachers and catechists. Follow her at [AJCattapan.com](http://www.ajcattapan.com). [**](https://www.twitter.com/ajcattapan) ## Related Blog Articles [ BOOK.eD: Reawakening by Barbara A. Mangi Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2020/04/04/book-ed-reawakening-by-barbara-a-mangi/) [ Book.ed: 'The Ten Biggest Lies of the Enemy' Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/book.ed-the-ten-biggest-lies-of-the-enemy) [ BOOK.eD: Dr. Kevin Vost's "The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit" Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/book.ed-template-0) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.