The Most Reverend Monsignor Fabio Fabbri, President of  FIIPA ( Femeraid International Institute for Penitentiary Assistance ) has recently been invited by the National Coordinator of the Penitentiary Pastoral of Portugal,  Rev. Father Joao Goncalves to participate at the 8th National Meeting of the Penitentiary Pastoral of Portugal, which took place in Fatima on the 27th and 28th January 2012 .

The National Penitentiary Pastoral of the Portuguese Catholic Church coordinates the important work of the Catholic Chaplains on the Prisons, and to this meeting, presided by His Excellency D. Joaquim Mendes,  Bishop Auxiliary of His Eminence the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, attended a representative of Her Excellency the Minister of Justice of Portugal and the Deputy General Director of the Portuguese Penitentiary Services, besides many Chaplains and representatives of Catholic Volunteer Organizations who assist the convicts in the 53 prisons of Portugal.

During his very interesting speech addressed to the Meeting under the title of  " The Rights of the Prisoners and the Right to a Family - a Christian Perspective " the Most Reverend Mons. Fabio Fabbri underlined the negative impacts of the Depravation of Liberty, not only for the convicts but also for their families and gave examples taken from his vast experience of many years in this field in many countries of the World.

Mons. Fabbri also concelebrated the Holy Mass ( see photo ) included in the Program of the Meeting.

The Presidency of FEMERAID is very proud of the high international reputation of the President of his Institute for Penitentiary Assistance and is sure that FIIPA will soon become one of its most active institutions working in favour of those in need.