The Documentary Podcast

Heart and Soul: An ‘Encore’ for Jesus


Listen Later

The Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour is a Catholic order of nuns made up of mature women called to a religious life in their later years. It was founded by Mother Antonia Brenner – a twice-divorced, former Hollywood socialite and mother of seven, who ministered to the incarcerated for three decades in the notorious La Mesa prison in Tijuana, Mexico. At first the Catholic Church declined to support Mother Antonia – indeed, as a divorcee, she was unable to take Holy Communion herself for many years. Then Pope John Paul II gave her his blessing, and Mother Antonia began the process of forming a religious community. The order was founded in 1997. Mother Antonia died in 2013. But her work continues on both sides of the US/Mexico border through women who have vowed to dedicate the remainder of their time on earth – in the eleventh hour of their lives – to uplifting the poor. For these nuns it’s a kind of ‘encore’ dedicated to Jesus Christ. So, who are the women in their 50s and 60s who leave their often comfortable and privileged lives behind to minister in La Mesa prison and work with people who find themselves at the bottom of everyone’s pile? [Photo Credit: Sister Viola, one of the Eudist Sisters of the Eleventh Hour, in the women’s section of La Mesa prison in Tijuana, Mexico. The sisters visit the prisoners every day to pray with them and provide spiritual support. They also bring toiletries and treats.

Photo by Tim Mansel

Producer/ Presenter: Linda Pressly

Producer: Tim Mansel
Producer in Mexico: Ulises Escamilla
Series Producer: Rajeev Gupta
Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno
Sound:Tanzy Leitner

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Documentary PodcastBy BBC World Service

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

1,597 ratings


More shows like The Documentary Podcast

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,412 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

369 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,657 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,747 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,066 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

971 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

585 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

959 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,062 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,041 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

367 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

831 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

587 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

398 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

754 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

476 Listeners

Today in Focus by The Guardian

Today in Focus

964 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,121 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,989 Listeners

The Great Post Office Trial by BBC Radio 4

The Great Post Office Trial

35 Listeners

The Explanation by BBC World Service

The Explanation

25 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

142 Listeners