"The story of Mother Antonia Brenner, a U.S. nun who has spent years advocating for those behind bars at Tijuana's La Mesa State Penitentiary, airs
tonight on KPBS at 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Narrated by actress Susan Sarandon, the half-hour documentary called "La Mama: An American Nun's Life in a Mexican Prison" is the work of Jody
Hammond, a San Diego television journalist. Hammond, who lives in Encinitas, has known Brenner for more than two decades; the two first met while
Hammond was covering border stories for a local television station.
"Ever since I had discovered Mother Antonia, I always thought what a great story, and that she merited more than a three-minute news piece," said
Hammond, who is currently working as a freelance producer for NBC News.
Brenner turns 86 next month. Raised in Beverly Hills, she had seven children from two marriages when she became a nun at age 50 and moved into the
prison. "She always felt her calling was to Mexico," Hammond said.
Due to health problems, Brenner is no longer a full-time resident of the prison, but she continues to work there. Members of her order, Sisters of the
Eleventh Hour, have continued to carry on her work.
"She is truly a force of nature," Hammond said. "I think the message is that look what one person can accomplish. She's such an inspiration. She's
been in a very scary place for a woman to be and she feels very safe within prison walls. She's walked into the middle of riots and stopped them."
Wow !!
captkw - 11-14-2012 at 09:42 PM
and I dont have a TV...bummer !! Thanks Jan you always come up with the good stuff worth reading and in this case watching K&T
Nuns in the Dungeon
MrBillM - 11-19-2012 at 08:50 PM
People I've known over the years, including two sisters, who went to Catholic schools would heartily agree that prison is the perfect place for Nuns.BajaNomad - 11-19-2012 at 10:04 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
"The story of Mother Antonia Brenner..."
