Mother Antonia
Encyclopedia
Mother Antonia or Madre Antonia as she is known in Spanish
, is an American-born Roman Catholic nun
and activist, resident in a Mexican
maximum security prison.
Born as Mary Clarke in 1926 to Joseph Clarke and Kathleen Mary Clarke. She has lived for the past 25 years in a cell at La Mesa
in Tijuana, Mexico, one of Mexico's most notorious prisons, caring for the inmates. The road outside the jail was known until recently as "Los Pollos," or "The Chickens"; in November 2007 it was renamed "Madre Antonia" in her honor. She is profiled in the book The Prison Angel, written by Pulitzer Prize
winning journalists Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan. She has also been interviewed in the wider American media. In the Tijuana jail, in addition to her normal pious work involving the prisoners, she negotiated an end to a riot
. She also persuaded the jail administrators to discontinue prisoner incarceration in substandard cells known as the tumbas, Spanish for tomb
s.
At some point in the 1970s she chose to devote her life to the Church after she had a nightmare, in 1969, that she was a prisoner at Calvary
and about to be executed when Jesus
appeared to her and offered to take her place. She refused his offer, touched him on the cheek and told him she would never leave him, no matter what happens to her.
She had been married twice and had seven children, living in Beverly Hills, California
, but both of her marriages ended in divorce. As an older, divorced woman, Clarke was banned by church rules from joining any religious order, so she went about her work on her own. She founded an order for those in her situation: the Servants of the Eleventh Hour. The Church has since blessed her mission and on September 25, 2009, she received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award, presented at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego.
In 2010, Estudio Frontera released a DVD documentary on Mother Antonia's life, "La Mama: An American Nun's Life in a Mexican Prison." Produced and written by Jody Hammond, photographed and edited by Ronn Kilby, and narrated by Susan Sarandon, the film took 5 years to make. See http://LaMamaTheMovie.com/ for more information.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, is an American-born Roman Catholic nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and activist, resident in a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
maximum security prison.
Born as Mary Clarke in 1926 to Joseph Clarke and Kathleen Mary Clarke. She has lived for the past 25 years in a cell at La Mesa
La Mesa, Tijuana
La Mesa is a borough of the municipality of Tijuana in Baja California....
in Tijuana, Mexico, one of Mexico's most notorious prisons, caring for the inmates. The road outside the jail was known until recently as "Los Pollos," or "The Chickens"; in November 2007 it was renamed "Madre Antonia" in her honor. She is profiled in the book The Prison Angel, written by Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning journalists Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan. She has also been interviewed in the wider American media. In the Tijuana jail, in addition to her normal pious work involving the prisoners, she negotiated an end to a riot
Prison riot
A prison riot is an act of concerted defiance or disorder by a group of prisoners against the prison administrators, prison officers, or other groups of prisoners in attempt to force change or express a grievance....
. She also persuaded the jail administrators to discontinue prisoner incarceration in substandard cells known as the tumbas, Spanish for tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
s.
At some point in the 1970s she chose to devote her life to the Church after she had a nightmare, in 1969, that she was a prisoner at Calvary
Calvary
Calvary or Golgotha was the site, outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early first century walls, at which the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have occurred. Calvary and Golgotha are the English names for the site used in Western Christianity...
and about to be executed when Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
appeared to her and offered to take her place. She refused his offer, touched him on the cheek and told him she would never leave him, no matter what happens to her.
She had been married twice and had seven children, living in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, but both of her marriages ended in divorce. As an older, divorced woman, Clarke was banned by church rules from joining any religious order, so she went about her work on her own. She founded an order for those in her situation: the Servants of the Eleventh Hour. The Church has since blessed her mission and on September 25, 2009, she received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award, presented at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego.
In 2010, Estudio Frontera released a DVD documentary on Mother Antonia's life, "La Mama: An American Nun's Life in a Mexican Prison." Produced and written by Jody Hammond, photographed and edited by Ronn Kilby, and narrated by Susan Sarandon, the film took 5 years to make. See http://LaMamaTheMovie.com/ for more information.
Sources
- Mother Antonia Official Website
- ABC News
- Faith Inside the Walls CBC RadioCBC RadioCBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
Documentary about Mother Antonia, by Joan Webber in Vancouver BC. (Includes interview with Mother Antonia) - Reader's DigestReader's DigestReader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
article: Antonia's mission June 2004