There is rarely a free day for Fr. Jose Alexander Gaitan Montes, CMF. While placing donations of food and clothing into his car, he took our call to speak about the Migrant Ministry in New Jersey and how the Claretians are working alongside the Archdiocese of Newark to accompany immigrants detained at the Delaney Hall detention center.
The Sisters of Christian Charity, who collaborate in this mission, are located about an hour away from the Claretian St. Joseph Parish in Jersey City. But neither distance nor harsh weather stops Fr Gaitan’s vocation and commitment to serve the people of God and bring these donations for the people in need.
On February 18, Ash Wednesday, under inclement weather where rain and cold could be felt deep in the skin, another kind of warmth held the faithful together as they stood for a long vigil.
Under normal circumstances, what happened that day would have seemed almost impossible. Just days earlier, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin had spoken strongly about immigration enforcement, referring to ICE as “a lawless organization” and urging Congress to vote against a funding bill that would expand the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration enforcement budget. It seemed unlikely that clergy would be allowed to enter the detention center to distribute ashes and celebrate Mass.
But sometimes faith moves mountains.
Cardinal Tobin, accompanied by Fr. Gaitan, Bishop Bismarck and Most Reverend Manuel Aurelio Cruz were able to enter the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, NJ. The Cardinal personally spoke with the 14 women detained in one of the units.
“To see a Cardinal of that relevance talking to each of them in their own language was unbelievable,” Fr. Gaitan shared. “They began to cry when he spoke to them.”
The clergy present that day were immigrants themselves. Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau, who now serves in the Diocese of Newark, once entered the United States undocumented while fleeing the war in Nicaragua. Most Reverend Manuel Aurelio Cruz (Manny) place of origin is Cuba. His family immigrated to the United States after the Cuban revolution in the 1950s. And, Claretian missionary Fr. Alexander Gaitan, CMF, was born and raised in Colombia.
Because the detention facility is divided into five separate units, the Ash Wednesday celebration had to be repeated individually for each group of detainees.
For the past six months, Fr. Gaitán, CMF has been actively serving the people inside the ICE detention center. He visits Thursdays for confessions, and celebrates Mass on Saturdays and Sundays inside the units.
“Being present for them has been very important,” Fr. Gaitán explained. “The chaplain at the center contacted us to help with spiritual services and asked for donations of Bibles and rosaries.”
The response from the community has been overwhelming. More than 1,200 Bibles and 6,000 rosaries have been donated. According to Fr. Gaitan, the center holds around 1,000 detainees, though the population constantly changes as some resolve their cases while others are deported.
The Ash Wednesday visit was part of a long-standing tradition known as the “Ash Wednesday March for Immigrants,” a faith-based demonstration that has taken place for nearly 30 years.
What began early that morning around 6:00 a.m. concluded at around 7 pm a nearby parish, where warm plates of lentils were served to the community. Participants shared stories of hope, faith, and the complex journeys that brought them to the United States.
For many present, the day was a reminder that even in the most difficult places, faith continues to find a way to reach those who need it most.
Special thanks to everyone who participated: Cardinal Tobin, Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau, Most Reverend Manuel Aurelio Cruz, Bishop Michael Saporito, Bishop Lorenzo Elias, Bishop Gregory Studeros, Deacon Diacono Asterio Velasco, Deacon Andrew Golden, and others.
More information about the event can be found here:
http://americamagazine.org/news/2026/02/19/cardinal-tobin-ash-wednesday-ice-facility/
