Eric Imseng was «a good agnostic» when he was young, studying to become an actor and stage director, when one day, a teacher made them read the last supper of Jesus and study its pictorial representation. The young student gradually grew interested and decided to spend a summer reading the four gospels. It was a real encounter with Jesus, for whom he literally «fell in love». So much that one day, he decided he would become a pastor.
Despite the comments of his friends and teachers «you’re a great comedian, why giving up?», he embraced his new path. At first as a catechist, for more than twenty years, therefore putting in practice his creativity as an actor to teach religion to young people. Then, he decided to study theology and got the opportunity to do an internship «elsewhere than catechism». And so he practiced in hospitals and in Agora, a chaplaincy for asylum seekers in Geneva. By the end of his studies, only two options were available: catechism or prison. «Let’s try something new!» After one year, the chaplain was so convinced that he was ready to sign for five years. Since 2012, Eric Imseng is accompanying detainees in the centres of detention of Champ-Dollon, La Brenaz and Curabilis in Geneva, and for four years he is simultaneously active in hospitals for elderly people.
No censorship
One part of the duties of Eric Imseng and the other 8 oecumenical chaplains of his team are the celebrations, given in French and English, sometimes also in Spanish. Like recently for Easter. «This mix of idioms already implies a mutual recognition between detainees who respect it». Otherwise, everyone in detention can get biblical texts in their languages. The celebrations are oecumenical. For the Muslim community, an imam directs the Friday priest. In Champ-Dollon, the celebration room includes 50 seats that are most often all occupied at each mass or cult. Part of the detainees who come are believers who were practicing their faith before being in jail. Some others might take advantage of the celebration to just wander around and chat, but they are very few. Indeed, Eric Imseng sometimes invites members of the oecumenical Council to attend the celebrations. «All of them are struck by the quality of listening and attention of the detainees.» The chaplain considers his work in prison as a «privilege». «Here we meet people who are really thirsty». He quotes Mathias’s verse 5:6: «Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.» He says: «We can not consider a litigant in a permanent manner. They paid their dues and have the right to change.» Some might say that people in jail are comfortable, sleeping and eating well. «However, they are still facing the jail sentence.» Considering the 10 commandments, the notion of sin or judgment delivered by the Bible, you might think that some parts of the Holy book might not be the most adequate to be shared in prison. «They all have a Bible and access to everything written in it. It might precisely be the task of the preacher to use it in an interesting way with them.»
You shall not judge
It is therefore during the individual accompaniment that the chaplains play a significant role. Each year, they accompany 400 detainees, no matter if they are Protestant or Christian believers, atheists or from another religion. The imams are not organized yet to do the same. «The community itself has to take steps for that and free up imams for accompaniment.» Thus, the chaplain’s role is more of a general spiritual accompaniment. Those who would like to benefit from it are invited to address a written demand. «It happened maybe once or twice since I started that I had to refuse someone, feeling it was another type of help they might need.» Indeed, chaplains are independent from doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists. Unlike what is done for example in Vaud, in Geneva, the chaplaincy doesn’t take part in any meetings with the other professionals. This guarantees a complete freedom of speech «which can lead to progression elsewhere, but I’m not provoking that». «I don’t know nothing about their past or what brought them to prison. The less the better.» Moreover, unlike the other professionals, chaplains have no objectives to pursue, no role to assume, except the indispensable attention, to listen without judging, confidentiality or trust in the spiritual resources of the person. «But having no objectives doesn’t mean we’re going nowhere.» Eric Imseng is convinced of the potentiality of a meeting simply around a cup of coffee. And to listen with a «naked ear». Something he might have learned when he was a young actor. «I don’t judge, but I’m still capable of discernment.»
Setting of on a path
For which reasons a detainee would like to talk to a chaplain? Connect or reconnect with spirituality? Redemption? Superstition? «All of that and so many other reasons!»This is one subtlety of their roles as chaplain: to redirect in an appropriate way the requests that could appear as «an exaggerated way to cleanse themselves through religion». «It might be formulated awkwardly, nonetheless it hides a real need. It is our task to work on that and emphasize this need.» The feeling of emptiness that detainees have to face in prison and the length of the sentence induce different types of rhythm among the prisoners. Some «drop everything» and spend their times eating or sleeping, losing track of time. «Others need to fill up every minute». In their well organized planning, a meeting with the chaplain for a coffee could be seen as a regular event they never miss. But it is not because the detainee wants to meet a chaplain that it means he’s «on a right path». Some come when they carry a too heavy burden they need to share with someone, but some others might only hope they’ll get cigarettes or coffee. «They’re disappointed when they see it’s not so, but then they remain for other reasons.» No matter what way, they are setting on a path. «We see metamorphosis. Sometimes, as human being, this might take some time. They do nothing for a while and suddenly they set out.»
Self-reflection
Despite what some would like to believe, all people in jail are not «evil or bad people». And alternatively, «they didn’t all endure a difficult childhood». You have nice guys, others who were living normally and suddenly, something went out of control. Once a month, the chaplain discusses with a supervisor complex situations he went through. Not necessarily linked to detainee’s history. «Something might have surprised me». For example recently in the hospital, Eric Imseng was confused by a dying patient who was born the same date as him. «The supervisor simply reminded me that I was not only a professional but also a human being.» At first, he was bothered by this assignment of self-reflection that he was more perceiving as egotism. «But thinking of yourself in a better way seems necessary to better estimate others as well.» «I always wondered why I was so interested in chaplaincy. Was it the difficult situations or the challenge of meeting someone facing a difficult situation? A longing for help? Though I’m working on myself to not fall in the mechanism’s of «Karpman’s triangle» – a psychological theory stating that savior, persecutor and victim are intertwined and can be interchangeable according the situation. But probably what drives me are the potential of life and growth at stakes, the hopes that we will move forward. And that healing is possible.»