Los Angeles, Calif., Oct 29, 2013 / 15:01 pm
Mother Antonia Brenner, who married and divorced twice before converting to the Catholic faith and devoting herself to prison ministry for nearly 39 years in Tijuana, died Oct. 17 at the age of 86.
"Humanly speaking, this is an irreparable loss, but from the point of view of the mission that she had, I think we have won something," Archbishop Rafael Romo Munoz of Tijuana said after receiving news of her death.
"She is a woman with the characteristics of a saint. I say that because I knew her and loved her a lot. I also received much affection from her. She has the traits of a saint, and that is why the Church has come out winning."
Mother Brenner was born Mary Clarke and was the mother of eight and lived in Beverly Hills prior to her conversion, which was effected by a dream. Even before this, she had done volunteer work for the poor in both Mexico and California.