LAST week, a good friend and comrade slipped out of life.

The end was peaceful with all his family present. Only a few short weeks ago his friends and family celebrated his birthday. It was a warm event full of companionship, laughter and a joyous revival of happy memories. He had accepted the inevitability of an early death with great forbearance, strengthened by his strong Christian faith.

Rev Mark John had a rich fulfilling life of service as a prison chaplain in Cardiff and North Wales.

Forget the stereotype of a doctrinaire humourless vicar. He had experienced all that life has to offer from its spiritual heights to its disagreeable depths. He remained firmly optimistic, practical, idealistic and a convinced socialist.

He candidly described his work, "Yes, perversely. Prisons are horrible. Putting people in custody is horrible. It's society's answer. If you ask me if prison works, I would say no it doesn't. But within that cesspit that we've created there is a need. As a prison chaplain, I'm there to address that need. Every morning I wake up and think that I'm doing something that I'm comfortable with. I'm doing the best I can in an environment that I love."

His zeal was in creating empathy with the prisoners and building on it to transform lives. He said, "During my prison ministry I have worked with many murderers. I've worked with some who've come to a Christian faith and to a spiritual realisation. Only a very few cold people can be murderers and feel no remorse. The majority have a sense of remorse and guilt. As a prison service, we are always looking in to their attitude towards their offence. I want to know their attitude and what strategies they have in place to stop them from doing it again."

Mark had no hint of resentment against the dreadful disease that was to cruelly shorten his life. He planned his burial spot, noting there was a bench nearby where visitors could rest and remember him. Talking to him in his final days was an inspiration. He sought no material benefits from life. His satisfaction was in bringing hope and dignity to others. His family and those who shared his prison work will, at a future event, reveal to us full accounts of a great life, richly lived, in the service of a despised minority.

Rest in peace comrade.