Antonia Brenner facts for kids

Antonia Brenner, also known as Mother Antonia (Spanish: Madre Antonia), was an American nun and activist. She was born on December 1, 1926, and passed away on October 17, 2013. Mother Antonia chose to live inside and care for prisoners at the high-security La Mesa Prison in Tijuana, Mexico. Because of her important work, she started a new group called the Eudist Servants of the 11th Hour.

Her Life and Work

Antonia Brenner was born Mary Clarke on December 1, 1926. She grew up in Beverly Hills, California. She had seven children.

In 1969, she had a powerful dream. In this dream, she felt like a prisoner. She said Jesus Christ appeared and offered to take her place. She refused his offer and promised to stay with him. This dream helped her decide to dedicate her life to the Church.

Because she was older and had been married, Mary Clarke was not accepted into traditional religious groups. So, she created her own group. This group was called the Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour. It was for people like her who wanted to serve God.

In 1983, Antonia Brenner received a special award. It was the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. Her religious group was officially recognized in 2003. This recognition came from Rafael Romo Munoz, who was the Bishop of the Diocese of Tijuana.

In 2009, she received another award. It was the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award. This award honored her brave work.

Mother Antonia did more than just care for prisoners. She also helped end a prison riot. She convinced the jail leaders to stop keeping prisoners in very bad cells. These cells were known as the tumbas, which means "tombs."

Mother Antonia passed away on October 17, 2013. She was 86 years old. She died at her home in Tijuana.

Her Impact

Mother Antonia left a lasting mark on the community. In November 2007, the road outside the jail was renamed in her honor. It used to be called Los Pollos ("The Chickens"). Now it is called Madre Antonia.

Her story is also told in a book. The book is called The Prison Angel. It was written by two award-winning journalists. Their names are Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan.

In 2010, a DVD documentary was made about her life. It is called La Mama: An American Nun's Life in a Mexican Prison. The film was narrated by the famous actress Susan Sarandon. It took five years to create this movie.