By Anthony Manuel Caravalho

During the month of January, former San Quentin Rehabilitation Center Chaplain Yat Ang passed away with his family at his side. Ang briefly replaced Mother Jackson in the Protestant Chapel as the Covid quarantine came to an end in 2021.

Before Ang’s transfer to San Quentin on June 25, 2021, he was the Chaplain of Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy, Calif orniaProtestant chapel from 2015 to 2020. 

During his first sermon at San Quentin Ang said, “I’m here to serve, not for myself, but for you. At DVI, I baptized 390 people [and] I hope I will baptize many more here. I want you to know that you will not see the kingdom of God unless you are born again.” 

At that service, ex-incarcerated pastor Sergio Alvarez invited the congregation to “Give God all praise and glory, by letting the new Chaplain lead our church.” Unfortunately, that did not happen.

Known as a humble and petite person that had a large congregation at DVI, Ang hoped to develop Christian leaders from the population at San Quentin, but the leadership feuded with the chaplain soon after he arrived at SQRC.

According to Chaplain Ang’s clerk, 56-year-old Christopher Gregory, Ang confronted a lot of opposition concerning his belief system, his culture, and how he conducted his services. “The old incarcerated church leaders chose not to attend Ang’s services and they started their own service on Saturday nights in the Catholic chapel,” said Gregory. “Ang did not seek revenge, in fact, he approved their leaving because he wanted everyone to serve God in their own capacity.”

Gregory said Ang humbled himself by allowing the Saturday night service that was held by Sister Paula Bates. Ang also let them participate in all of the Christian holiday festivities.

During a prior interview, Ang said he understood he was taking over for Mother Jackson, a popular chaplain who captivated God’s followers with His word. All Ang wanted was for his parishioners to know that his door was open to assist anyone to walk closer with the Lord.

Ang wanted to expand the church ministry from three elders and three deacons, to twelve leaders so they could help pray for the parishioners. Ang also kept the traditional holiday festivities, including the Christmas caroling that is synonymous with SQRC.

Ang’s career trajectory to SQRC included studies at Walla Walla Washington and Loma Linda, Calif. before he ministered for approximately 20 years. He first became  a chaplain in Loma Linda, San Bernadino, CA. He also worked in other community hospitals before he was hired as a chaplain at DVI. 

And commuted from the Central Valley to SQRC as he awaited housing on the property for him and his family — that housing never materialized as Ang became ill and had to take a leave of absence after a tumultuous separation from his church. The separation occurred even though the new chaplain was supported by then-incarcerated minister, Trent Woodmore Jr., who stated, “Chaplain Ang is obviously a man of God who is full within humility.”

In spite of support from some of the elders, Ang felt threatened enough to remove the incarcerated Protestant leaders who had worked for Mother Jackson. 

Gregory who had spent countless days with Ang, witnessed the wear and tear on Ang and had in fact saved his life.

“By being his clerk, God enabled me to hear a thump coming from his office and I found Chaplain Ang in cardiac arrest having a stroke,” said Gregory. “I informed staff and they immediately rendered aid to the chaplain and he went on leave for six months.”

Gregory said while Ang was out for six months, other ministries came into his office and asked him to succumb to their pressure to change his policies. “As his clerk I kept his policies in place and when he returned to his chapel, our chaplain thanked me that everything had not changed.”

Gregory said he found Ang to be a trustworthy humble man who truly loved the Lord. Although Ang’s own religion was based on the Seventh-Day Adventist beliefs he did not force his values on anyone. “Chaplain Ang only preached God’s word and praised Jesus who died for all of us,” said Gregory. “He’s with God now and he no longer suffers, nor is he in pain. Trust me all is well with his soul.”

Gregory, who has one year left before he returns to society, hopes that when SQRC fills Chaplain Ang’s position that it will be a person who is as humble as the departed leader. 

Chaplain Ang said he always prepared his churches for Jesus Christ’s coming. “We must be ready,” Ang once said.

According to Father Williams and Gregory, Ang himself was more than ready.