BROADCASTS.com

The Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour is a Catholic order of nuns made up of mature women called to a religious life in their later years. It was founded by Mother Antonia Brenner \u2013 a twice-divorced, former Hollywood socialite and mother of seven, who ministered to the incarcerated for three decades in the notorious La Mesa prison in Tijuana, Mexico. At first the Catholic Church declined to support Mother Antonia \u2013 indeed, as a divorcee, she was unable to take Holy Communion herself for many years. Then Pope John Paul II gave her his blessing, and Mother Antonia began the process of forming a religious community. The order was founded in 1997. Mother Antonia died in 2013. But her work continues on both sides of the US/Mexico border through women who have vowed to dedicate the remainder of their time on earth \u2013 in the eleventh hour of their lives \u2013 to uplifting the poor. For these nuns it\u2019s a kind of \u2018encore\u2019 dedicated to Jesus Christ. So, who are the women in their 50s and 60s who leave their often comfortable and privileged lives behind to minister in La Mesa prison and work with people who find themselves at the bottom of everyone\u2019s pile? [Photo Credit: Sister Viola, one of the Eudist Sisters of the Eleventh Hour, in the women\u2019s section of La Mesa prison in Tijuana, Mexico. The sisters visit the prisoners every day to pray with them and provide spiritual support. They also bring toiletries and treats.

Photo by Tim Mansel

Producer/ Presenter: Linda Pressly\nProducer: Tim Mansel\nProducer in Mexico: Ulises Escamilla\nSeries Producer: Rajeev Gupta\nProduction Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno\nSound:Tanzy Leitner