Mother Antonio; Angel of the Prisoners!"
by Judy Joy Jones


I felt extremely drawn to go meet a nun who lived and helped the innates of the
the notorious maximum-security La Mesa Prison in Tijuana, Mexico.

She was know as "Mother Antonio" and her real name was Antonio Brenner.

I met 'by accident' a woman named Sandra who helped Mother Antonio in the prison.

Guided by faith alone as I had never been in nor visited any prison in my life, I met Sandra the following day and she and I drove to Le Mesa Prison.

We stood outside the prison gates waiting for Mother Antonio to appear.

As Mother walked towards us I saw a supernatural light so bright surrounding her it nearly blinded me and people could not physically get close to her. I found out I was not the only one to see this light. Many commented on it.

Perhaps Mother Antonio needed extra light for divine protection since she lived and worked inside an extremely dangerous prison

Mother ushered Sandra and I in the prison and into the tiny cell she lived in.

She was very worried about my safety and I assured her I was brought there for a reason not yet known to me and until I fulfilled that reason I would be totally protected.

Mother Antonio asked me if I would consider dressing a certain way when visiting and volunteering teaching art in the prison. I said yes and after holding a couple of classes, I realized teaching art was not my calling. Instead, I used my writing skills to share what Mother Antonio was doing and that she needed volunteers to help her.

Several years later, long after I had visited Mother Antonio, she started an order of nuns to help her in the La Mesa prison. She was just forming the idea for the order when I met her and asking me if I would dress a certain way when volunteering, was perhaps the beginning of Mother Antonio putting her vision into action.

I believe we are all intruments and the more we live from our hearts and say yes to the divine without asking why or needing to see the results of our actions, the easier our lives become.

Living in complete faith, though very difficult at times, is a great gift!

c jj 2021