Join Us - Vocation Stories - Sister Susan Francois, CSJP
About Sister Susan
Perpetual Profession of Vows: November 11, 2011
Hometown: Bowie, Maryland
Background: Born in Washington, D.C., Susan came to the pacific northwest in 1990 to attend Lewis & Clark College. Prior to entrance, she worked as City Elections Officer in Portland, Oregon. Susan was very active in her parish community as a member of the Pastoral Council, Peace and Justice Commission, and Religious Education program.
How she met the CSJPs: Susan heard about the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace from friends, checked us out on the internet, and accepted an invitation from Sr. Jo-Anne Miller to attend a vocation retreat. Susan found that her personal commitment to peace through justice resonated with that of the CSJPs.
Present Ministries: Social justice education and advocacy with the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center; student at Seattle University School of Theology & Ministry
Read about her profession of Final Vows
“My heart is filled with peace and joy as I make this lifelong commitment to follow Jesus and serve God’s people in need. Confident of God’s faithful love, I join my heart and life with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace as we seek peace through justice for our broken world.”
What attracted Susan to the Congregation?
“The answer is simple: the CSJP charism, spirit and energy. From the beginning I have felt welcomed by and at home with this wonderful group of fun, talented and dedicated women who support and challenge each other to work for peace and justice.” ~ Sr. Susan Francois, CSJP
Do you have questions about religious life that you’d like to ask one of our newer Sisters?
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Reflection on Temporary Vows by Sister Susan
It's hard to believe that it's been a year and a half since my first profession! Time has certainly flown by, which I take as a very good sign. I feel incredibly lucky to be ministering at the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center, a ministry acting for justice in the Church and the world sponsored by sixteen Northwest religious communities. Although my daily tasks are similar to my work before entering-research, writing organizing-there is such a difference when these tasks are grounded in our charism of peace through justice. I have also started part time graduate studies in theology at Seattle University, which I hope will better prepare me for a lifetime of ministry with our Church. Life is certainly busy, but I find myself embraced and supported by my community as I continue on the journey to act justly, love tenderly, and walk in the way of peace.
"Blogging Sister Goes Online to Serve God" - NW Catholic Progress article
A Special Love, by Susan Francois, CSJP
Sister Susan wrote this article during her novitiate ministry experience
Our history calls us to a special love for those who are poor. The weight of suffering and oppression borne by so many people today, especially those who are economically poor, cries out to us for action. (Constitutions 21)
I was guided by these words from our Constitutions during the three months I spent working with homeless men and women in London, England. During the second year of Novitiate, novices are given opportunities to work directly with the poor in the spirit of our founding history. I spent my Fall ministry experience living with our Sisters in the U.K. and volunteering at the Passage Day Centre for the Homeless. The Passage is the largest homeless day center in London, serving more than 250 homeless men and women each day.
At breakfast I was a friendly face, offering clients their hot buttered toast. It was a simple, but deep ministry of presence. Just being there for no other reason than to serve them in the early hours of the morning had a tremendous impact on me, and seems to have made a difference for them. After spending a cold and rainy night huddled up in a doorway, here were everyday folks ready to offer them a friendly smile and a hot breakfast to warm their insides in body and spirit.
After breakfast I worked one-on-one with clients in the education training center. The training center helps clients look for work in an increasingly online world. They can help them with resumé writing, set them up with free e-mail and voicemail accounts, assist with online job searches and offer tutoring in basic computer skills. My ministry there was also a simple one, sharing my familiarity with computers and helping the clients gain confidence in themselves.
While I was only there for three months, it was long enough to witness a few folks come to life as they grew in confidence and started to believe that maybe there was a way off the streets. The team in the training center cheered them on and celebrated with them when they got a job interview and in a few cases, full time work.
It was an honor to participate – in whatever small way I could – in this ministry of empowerment. I often found myself reflecting on these words of Mother Clare (Margaret Anna Cusack): “I did not believe in offering a gospel of talk to starving people.”