Mother Antonia

I have known a remarkable woman.
A saint.

I don’t use this term lightly or with an exaggerated sense of who she was or what she did in her life.  

Mother Antonia Brenner lived in a prison in Tijuana for years caring for 'her' boys. She offered unconditional love for all including the men in the prison, their families, and the guards, the guards’ families the fortunate women who joined her as Sisters of the Eleventh Hour of St. John Edues

This is what she was known for – The Prison Angel - her work in the notorious La Mesa Prison in Tijuana led to a book and a movie and has inspired millions.

However my connection to this saint is our founder, Msgr. Anthony Brouwers – for whom she took the name Antonia.  Msgr. Brouwers was Mary Brenner’s spiritual advisor and his invitation to love and care for those most in need led her to La Mesa – and left her one of Lay Mission-Helpers and Mission Doctors greatest advocates.

Most recently she helped Mission Doctors fundraise to build a Special Care unite for patients with TB or other illnesses requiring isolation for the initial period of treatment at St. Martin de Porres Hospital in Njinikom Hospital – this Special Care unit is named for Msgr. Brouwers and Dr. James Carey – one of our early Mission Doctors. 

During the summer I had the opportunity to bring Dr. Jim and Mrs. Terry Hake to visit Mother in San Diego where we stopped at a Chinese restaurant for lunch.   Jim and Terry had just completed three years in Njinikom and wanted to bring photos of the hospital, and tell Mother just what a difference this facility is making.

I asked her if she had a message for people who may be considering following in Jim and Terry’s footsteps – and I pulled out my camera and she recorded this invitation. 

Just two weeks ago, the Franciscan sisters from Cameroon, Sr. Xaveria and Sr. Raphine were in Los Angeles and I took them to visit her – they were so excited to meet her, Sr. Xaveria couldn’t stop dancing!  Mother was thrilled to meet the missionaries she has prayed for and worked with half a world away.

Listening to everyone yesterday at the memorial service at St. James in Solano Beach, how she was able to ‘invite’ everyone to do more – after telling them how much she loved them – I understood – one could never say ‘no’ to Mother Antonia. 

I will miss picking up the phone and hearing her sweet and cheery voice – usually that meant I had just added a bit more work to my desk – but who could mind when each phone call would end with ‘I love you darling, I love all of you so much’ – all that could be said is ‘I love you too mother.’ 

Mother Antonia

Mother Antonia (The Prison Angel and Foundress of The Sisters of the Eleventh Hour) joined us this year at the Wilshire Country Club for the Auxiliary's annual card party. This photo of her speaking on Wednesday is my choice for photo of the week.  

She joined us for lunch and shared inspirational words about the medical needs of people around the world, leaving many of us in tears.  Here she is speaking about an upcoming raffle to raise funds for the tuberculosis ward in rural Cameroon.  

I always feels blessed when Mother Antonia joins us for an event.

Mission Continues...

January 14, 1964, Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, founder of Mission Doctors Association lost his battle with cancer at 51 years old.

Today, we strive to continue his legacy by making it possible for Catholic doctors and their families to serve at mission hospitals and clinics.

"As never before, the sufferings of mankind easily transverse oceans and become part of the consciousness and the conscience of the American Catholic medical expert. Their plight is our problem. Their cries of pain and misery are necessarily as personal and impelling as those of our loved ones at our own hearths." Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, 1963

How much more in 2011 are we exposed to the suffering of our brothers and sisters around the world - perhaps to the point of a sense of saturation and increasing sense of impotence. Yet today, when it is easier to stay put and chose comfort over sacrifice, Mission Doctors Association has seen an increase in the number of doctors willing to share their skills.

We pray that more will continue to answer the call to serve and that those who can not themselves deliver a baby in Guatemala, or provide care for emergency patients in Uganda or treat HIV patients in Cameroon will make their service possible.

"Am I my brother’s keeper?...This is no rhetorical question. To be Christ-like each of us has be one declarative statement: ‘I, we and all of us everywhere are our brother’s keepers’." Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, 1959

Mother Antonia (The Prison Angel and Foundress of The Sisters of the Eleventh Hour) reminds us to ask Msgr. Brouwers to intercede on our behalf, and to note when these prayers are answered.

A book on the life and legacy of Msgr. Brouwers is available - contact our office to learn more.

Special Day

I recently had a phone call from Mother Antonia who reminded me that December 8th is a special day, not only because it is celebrated as a holy day of obligation, commemorating the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Mother Antonia told me that it is also the anniversary of the ordination of our mutual founder, Msgr. Anthony Brouwers.

Mother Antonia shared that every year she has seen special miracles on and around this date that affirm for her Msgr. Brouwers’ place among the saints. One such miracle spared one of her own sisters an amputation due to medical complications.

We too remember our founder in a special way on December 8th. Msgr. Brouwers dedicated this movement of lay people to the missions to this feast of the Immaculate Conception which we celebrate. Let us work to continue his legacy of international service for Catholic laity through our prayers and all our efforts.

If you have had the opportunity to be blessed, as Mother Antonia has been, in seeing or experiencing special miracles on or around December 8th – perhaps invoking the prayers of Msgr. Brouwers, please write up a brief description and send it in…
Perhaps one day they may be a first step in acknowledging the sanctity of our founder.

Of course we know many holy people who have lived and died are counted among the Saints, as Mother Antonia reminded me. Our parents, family, and friends who make up the heavenly choirs. If we area able to acknowledge Msgr. Brouwers presence among them, it may help more people know of his legacy in the mission work we strive to continue.

If you would like to know more about Mother Antonia and the Religious order she founded – there is a book about her life – “The Prison Angel: Mother Antonia's Journey from Beverly Hills to a Life of Service in a Mexican Jail”, available on Amazon.

If you would like to know more about our founder, Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, LMH and MDA have a book available about his life and work: “For We are God’s Helpers’ - you can obtain a copy of this inspirational book by contacting LMH.