Deacons Pod: Judge Esther Salas

August 2, 2022

In this episode, the deacons have a powerful conversation with U.S. District Judge Esther Salas about forgiveness and faith. Judge Salas has publicly forgiven the man who murdered her son and shot her husband in 2020.

Deacons Pod is a podcast created to inspire and give hope to people on the “threshold of faith”: Those who are thinking about going to Church and those who are thinking about leaving Church. It is hosted by Deacon Tom Casey, Deacon Drew Dickson and Deacon Dennis Dolan, all permanent deacons who are Paulist Deacon Affiliates.

Listen now:

The Deacons

Deacon Dennis Dolan

Deacon Dennis Dolan has been a permanent deacon since August, 1993. He spent many years as a Catholic chaplain with the Connecticut Department of Corrections. Deacon Dennis became a Paulist Deacon Affiliate in 2018.

Deacon Dennis currently serves in a parish in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. He and his wife Deborah have three children and five grandchildren.

Deacon Drew Dickson

Deacon Joseph (“Drew”) Dickson has been a permanent deacon since 1999. He is an attorney who has served as a judge. Deacon Drew became a Paulist Deacon Affiliate in 2019.

He lives in northern New Jersey with his wife, Victoria.

Deacon Tom Casey

Deacon Tom Casey graduated from Providence College and went on to serve as an Officer in the U.S. Army. He began his career with the U.S. Treasury Department leaving to co-found and administer a soup kitchen serving the homeless and displaced mentally ill. He resumed his career in the savings bank and credit industry from which he retired. After being ordained a deacon in 2005, Tom served as a prison, hospital and hospice chaplain.

Deacon Tom has been a Paulist Deacon Affiliate since July 20, 2019 and is currently serving in a parish in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. Tom and his wife, Rachel, have three children and nine grandchildren.

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