Deacons Pod: Update from Delaney Hall in Newark, NJ – Sr. Susan Francois, CSJP

June 16, 2026

In this episode of Deacons Pod, we hear from Sr. Susan Francois, CSJP, about the witness and ministry taking place outside Delaney Hall, a facility used for immigrant detention in Newark, NJ.

Delaney Hall is managed by the GEO Group under contract for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Deacon Mike Hayes, one of the Paulist Deacon Affiliates, asks Sr. Susan about conditions for the detainees inside the facility; the ministry of hospitality with family members outside the facility; the diverse coalition of people present outside the facility; and the Gospel challenge posed by this moment in U.S. history.

Sr. Susan is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. You may follow her short videos from outside Delaney Hall on TikTok and YouTube.

Religion News Service recently produced a report and a video about her ministry.

During her conversation with Deacon Mike, Sr. Susan also describes how she returned to the practice of her Catholic faith through Landings (a one-time Paulist reconciliation ministry) at St. Philip Neri Church in Portland, OR, and the ministry of Paulist Fr. Dick Chilson (1943 – 2026).

She also recalls how Paulist Fr. Steve Bossi encouraged her to consider a vocation as a religious sister.

Listen now:

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