The Jesuit Border Podcast

For our final episode of Season 8, we are thrilled to welcome Jason De Leon, anthropologist, researcher and professor at UCLA, and award-winning author. Jason's recent book, “Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling” won the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Jason talks about how conversations with migrants at archaeological digs in central Mexico led to his interest in immigration. He shares stories of people that have stuck with him over the years, including a young man from Ecuador who went missing in the desert along the US-Mexico border. He describes the history of “prevention through deterrence,” a US border policy that weaponizes the desert to inflict harm on migrants in order to try to deter entry. Jason shares how his latest book, “Soldiers and Kings,” came about by just being present to smugglers in Mexico and listening to them as they shared their stories. Brian and Joe also share stories of being present to people in moments of need. Joe shares the story of Joana, who was stuck in the shelter after legal entry to the US was shut off to vulnerable migrants. As she walked off from the Mass in tears one day, Joe shares the frustration of being unable to help, but the gift that comes from just being present and holding someone as they cry. Brian shares the story of Laura, a young woman from Honduras who has been separated from her mom who has been living in the US for over twenty years. Unable to legally enter, Laura continues to live at the local shelter in northern Mexico, and loves preparing desserts to share. Her mom is undocumented in the US, and lives in fear of deportation after decades of establishing her life here. The situation of Laura and her mom reflects the reality we encounter as Season 8 comes to a close. Many vulnerable migrants remain stuck at the border, unable to return home and with no legal pathway of entry. And millions of migrants across the US live in fear of imprisonment and deportation, and continue to be criminalized, often just for being migrants.Thanks for joining us for this season, and blessings on your Holy Week. We'll be back with a new season in the Fall of 2025.

We are delighted to welcome Sr. Patricia Mulderick, RSM, from the immigration cohort of ARISE Adelante. ARISE Adelante empowers immigrants living in low income communities in south Texas to attain a better life for themselves, their families, and their community. Sr. Patricia has been part of the immigration cohort at ARISE for a few years, after spending 37 years in South America. She talks about her journey from growing up in coal-country Pennsylvania to becoming a Sister of Mercy and spending decades in Peru. Along with working at ARISE, Sr. Patricia has dedicated time to accompanying migrants in camps and shelters in Reynosa and shares moving stories of encountering Christ in the people she has gotten to know through prayer, conversation, and artwork.Brian and Joe share stories that reflect how we can be invited to be Christ to one another. Brian tells the story of a recent Zoom reunion with people who had spent time at migrant shelters in northern Mexico and are now living across the US. This year has been marked by a lot of fear and uncertainty for the migrant community, so the gathering gave people an opportunity to connect, share, and pray. Joe tells the story of his recent birthday celebration. When the kids at Senda 2 were praying over him, he had to kneel down to their level. As they placed their hands on his bowed head, he felt the presence of Christ himself made manifest through the children. 

We are pleased to welcome Katie Boller Gosewisch, the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking. The Alliance is a collaborative, faith-based network that raises awareness of human trafficking, supports access to survivor services, and engages in advocacy efforts. It was founded in 2013 by religious sisters and continues to include over 200+ congregations of Catholic Sisters among its members. Katie is not a religious sister herself, but she was drawn to the mission of the Alliance. She talks about what human trafficking is and what it looks like in our country. She reflects on its shocking prevalence throughout the US and the need for raising more awareness of the issue. She also draws the connection between trafficking and forced migration.Brian and Joe reflect on cases of human trafficking that they have encountered in their ministry. Joe shares the cases of Ximena and Yuliet who were both trafficked during their migrant journey. He draws the important distinction between “human trafficking” and “human smuggling,” which too often get conflated and misunderstood. Brian talks about the unaccompanied minors that he has prayed with over the past few years, and the government's deliberate efforts to ensure their safety and prevent their exploitation in the US.To learn more about the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, please visit their website: https://alliancetoendhumantrafficking.org/

We are delighted to welcome Fr. Alberto Ares, SJ, who is the regional director of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Europe. JRS is an international Catholic organization with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. With the US perspective on immigration so tied to the southern border, Alberto offers us a different perspective by sharing the dynamics across Europe, which can vary greatly by country. He reflects on the uncertainties of the moment as development aid is being drastically cut by the United States. He shares how a lifetime of ministry accompanying poor and marginalized communities has inspired his faith and gives him hope.Brian and Joe also share stories of the ways the migrants they accompany have evangelized by sharing the Good News of the Gospel. Joe shares the story of Milagro, a three-year-old girl from Honduras, who would fold her hands and gently bow her head as he prayed over her. After the prayer, she would raise her head up as a big smile spread across her face, showing the joy that comes from our faith. It is a joy reflected in Milagros, and in countless other children who have regularly participated in our Masses. Brian reflects on the catechism classes the Jesuits started offering in one of the shelters, since people are stuck on the border that is completely closed to vulnerable migrants. Catalina, the mother of four kids who are now preparing for baptism, sat on the edge of her seat during the first catechism class. She made the point clear to Brian, “I am here to learn!” May we all have such an enthusiasm for learning more about our faith and growing closer to God.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Kim Lamberty, who is the Executive Director of the Quixote Center. The Quixote Center works to empower vulnerable people, especially in Haiti, Nicaragua, and Panama, through sustainable development, U.S. policy reform, economic justice, and educational initiatives. Kim talks about their three layers of response to immigration: local economic development, policy reform (especially around the trafficking of weapons out of the U.S. that arm gangs and cartels), and ensuring care for the dignity and safety of migrants en route. Kim shares powerful testimonies of people stepping up to address the needs in front of them, not from a position of wealth and resources, but out of a sense of responsibility to those in need.Brian and Joe also share stories that reflect our responsibility for one another. Joe talks about Delmy, a migrant from Honduras, who was raised as a child to share food with others before having her own. Joe saw this in action when Delmy broke a bite-size candy bar into tiny pieces to ensure that everyone had a taste. Brian shares the story of Nesy, a single mother from Honduras, who spent several months at a shelter with her two kids. Now in the U.S., Nesy reached out to Brian in the Christmas season because she wanted to give back. The story of her generosity is inspiring and should serve as a challenge for all of us. May we practice the same level of generosity as Nesy, as we remember that we are responsible for one another.

We are delighted to welcome Marianne Staniunas, who is the Pro Bono Immigration Counsel at Ropes & Gray LLP. Marianne talks about the complexities of U.S. immigration law and how migrants have a right to legal representation, but not a right to free counsel. Given the shortage of immigration lawyers in the country, many asylum seekers face a complex system without representation. Marianne shares her fears at the start of a new administration with the criminalization of migrants and the ways their rights are being arbitrarily stripped from them. In spite of this, she continues to find hope in her clients, who offer inspiring examples of resilience. Brian and Joe share stories that highlight the need for legal representation to navigate the immigration system. Brian tells the story of Felipe and Rebeka, who were recently deported to Mexico after getting stopped at a checkpoint on the way to Houston to get medical care for their 10-year-old daughter who had a brain tumor. Brian started sending texts to Marianne (today's guest) to try to understand the situation and provide some orientation to the family. Joe weighs in on the complexities of U.S. asylum law through two examples. Alejandro was a soldier in Venezuela and a member of the ruling party who refused an order to fire upon fellow countrymen, which brought threats to him and his family. Dolores witnessed the murder of her sister by the cartel and feared for her life, especially after she reported the case to the local police and did not receive any protection. These two cases might sound like obvious asylum claims, but Joe reflects on how narrow interpretations of asylum can lead to denials in cases like Alejandro and Dolores, especially if they do not have legal representation to help argue their cases.

For our first full episode of Season 8, we are humbled to welcome Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, TX. Bishop Cahill was recently elected chairman of the Committee on Migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which he will assume in November 2025. He shares from his life experience that has drawn him to encounters with other cultures, from studying the theology of African-American Catholics to working with migrants at a Catholic Worker House in Houston. He encourages all of us to seek out dialogue and encounter, like going to Mass in another language, so that we might discover the ways in which we are united more than divided.Brian and Joe open up the new season by talking about changes that took place on the border with the start of a new presidential administration. Brian shares the story of Jazmín, who had come up to the border with her brother and young daughter on January 20th with an appointment to legally enter the U.S. It was only when they approached the bridge that they learned that their appointment had been canceled. Reflecting on his conversation with Jazmín, who was so distraught, Brian talks about how we share in each other's pain as fellow members of the Body of Christ. Joe reflects on the unity we encounter in the liturgy as we celebrate our shared faith. By incorporating a Haitian Creole hymn into Masses at migrant shelters, Joe was struck by the way Haitian participants came to life as they joined in song and how it enriched the experience for everyone. 

We are getting ready to launch Season 8 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. A lot has changed on the border since our last season. A new presidential administration took over on January 20th and made immediate changes that have impacted the lived experience on the border and people's ability to seek protection in the US.In this teaser, we give updates on what January 20th was like on the border, and how things have evolved since then. Joe shares the story of Regino, who fled violence in Honduras with his family only to be kidnapped and tortured in Matamoros. Regino and his family had a CBP One appointment to enter the US, but it was canceled on January 20th when the new administration took over. Brian shares the story of 22 asylum seekers who missed their CBP One appointments before January 20th because they were kidnapped. Even though their families paid their ransom, and they were released before the inauguration, CBP denied them entry to the US while citing “capacity issues.” Now they are all stuck in shelters in northern Mexico.What has been happening on the border since the inauguration? What options are available to asylum seekers now? What hard choices are they having to make? We discuss these questions in light of what we are seeing on the ground in this teaser to Season 8. The first full episode of the new season will be released on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025.

For our final episode of Season 7, we are thrilled to welcome Bishop Joseph Tyson from the Diocese of Yakima, WA. He likes to describe his diocese as the largest border diocese without a border because the population is 75% Latino, with many migrants coming there to work in the fields picking fruit. He talks about what inspired him to require his seminarians to work next to migrants in the field as a part of their formation. He discusses the theme of “Iglesia en Salida” (the Church on mission), describing his parishes not as country clubs but as mission centers that must go out to meet people where they are. Brian and Joe share stories about the Church on mission. Brian shares the example of all the women religious in the Rio Grande Valley accompanying those on the margins. Women religious throughout history have been a bold example of a Church that goes forth on mission. Joe recounts his initial visits to the Ozanam Center in Brownsville, TX, and the fears he had to overcome as he started celebrating communion services there to put into practice the idea of the Church on mission. He kept waiting for what felt like a sufficient quorum, until he realized that the Gospel provides one: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Turns out it was a pretty low bar! Enjoy this final episode of the season, and blessings on your Advent. We'll be back with a new season in early 2025.

We are pleased to welcome Harrison Hanvey, the Manager of Outreach and Partnerships for the Office of Justice and Ecology at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. Before working for the Jesuits, Harrison spent five years living in Central America, including time working side by side with Nicaraguans in plantain farms and coffee fields. He shares what inspired those experiences and the impact it has had on his life. Harrison visited the border earlier this year, and he has a great story to share about a Colombian family that he encountered on his visit, and how a variety of people from very different backgrounds and political persuasions came together to help solve problems for this family in need. Joe and Brian also share stories about being part of the solution. Joe highlights the efforts of our good friend Rafael Cortes to empower Denilson, a teenager from Honduras, to organize a soccer tournament in his shelter. Brian shares the story of Merari and her daughter Emily, who fell sick at a shelter in Reynosa. Brian kept waiting for Merari to ask him to solve a particular problem he had in mind, without realizing how she was inviting him to be a valuable part of the solution that she was looking for.

We are delighted to welcome Jeanne Rossomme, a parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish in Washington, D.C. She is one of the leaders of the migrant support team at the parish, or “Migrant Familia” as they call it, which is a team of volunteers that accompany, support and advocate for asylum seekers and refugees. Jeanne shares the origin story of the project that began with a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border. She talks about the complicated systems of housing, schooling, employment, and immigration status that their team helps migrants to navigate. She shares inspiring stories and reflects on how common it is for migrants to miss their home, just like any of us would.  For anyone who is looking for ways to respond to threats of mass deportations, Jeanne offers a tremendous example of how a small group of parishioners can mobilize to support migrants in their community. Brian and Joe share stories of migrants missing home. Joe recounts the story of Hector, a migrant from Honduras who was kidnapped in Reynosa. The experience was so intense and traumatic for him that it caused him to question the biggest priorities in his life. Brian shares the story of Yamileth who ran the kitchen in her shelter and loved sharing her culture by preparing baleadas (a traditional Honduran dish of a folded flour tortilla filled with food). Brian and Joe stuffed their faces before returning to meet up with Flavio…empty handed!

We are delighted to welcome Guerline Mardi, an asylum seeker from Haiti. She is multilingual, including fluency in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole. Guerline lived in Argentina for eleven years before migrating north and making the journey to the U.S. alone. She stayed in the Pumarejo shelter in Matamoros, Mexico for one and a half months, where she met the Jesuits when they would come to visit and celebrate Mass. From her first day at the shelter, Guerline looked for ways to help out: from translating for Haitian migrants to participating in the Mass. Brian and Joe talk about the new dynamic of finding a kid before Mass in the shelters to ring the bell during the consecration. They share the story of Melisa, a nine-year-old girl from Honduras, who quickly became the all-star bell ringer in her shelter in Reynosa. But ringing the bell was just the starting point of her participation. Joe shares Melisa's testimony of what it was that inspired her to keep coming back to Mass: “Because I need Jesus to help me become an even better person.”

We are thrilled to welcome Theresa Cardinal Brown to this special episode of the podcast. Tomorrow (November 5th) is the Presidential election, so we are bringing on a special guest with a wealth of experience in immigration politics. Theresa is a Senior Advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center, which brings together strategists from the left and the right to help members of Congress craft bipartisan legislation. She is a regular media contributor discussing immigration issues in publications such as the Washington Post, New York  Times, and USA Today, on television on Fox News, PBS News Hour, CNN International, and NPR. She is also the producer and a regular voice on the podcast “This Week in Immigration”, covering the latest in immigration policy news (one of Brian's favorite podcasts!). In this episode, Brian and Joe ask Theresa about the recent history of immigration policy and how we got to where we are today. She talks about the contrasting priorities for both political parties around immigration, and where we could find common ground to get beyond the partisan divide. She shares how her faith motivates her in resisting polarization and seeking bipartisan solutions. It's an informative and inspiring interview, so please enjoy this special episode. And remember to vote! To listen to the podcast “This Week in Immigration,” click here.

We are excited to welcome Pedro De Velasco, who is the Director of Education and Advocacy at the Kino Border Initiative (KBI). KBI is a binational program that includes a shelter and soup kitchen for migrants in Nogales, Senora, and education and encounter programs, along with advocacy outreach in both the U.S. and Mexico. Pedro outlines the current dynamic of migrants arriving at the border and beginning a long wait for a CBP One appointment to legally enter the U.S. Since the wait can stretch for months, Pedro explains how KBI helps migrants find affordable housing and employment, along with enrolling children in local schools. Pedro reflects on how his faith inspires his commitment to this work, and how faith shapes the mission of KBI. Brian and Joe share stories of how migrants have made the most of their long wait for a CBP One appointment. Joe shares the story of Stephen, a young man from Colombia, who would make a new vocab list of English words to practice every single day. Brian shares the story of Aldo and Cinthia and their family from Guerrero, Mexico. They would always attend Mass on our visits, and little two-year-old Ixia loved learning the sign of the cross in English…or at least her version of it!

For our first episode of Season 7, we are humbled to welcome Fr. Tom Greene, SJ, the Provincial of the U.S. Central and Southern Province of the Jesuits. Fr. Greene was the one who first conceived of this mission to the U.S.-Mexico border in south Texas over three years ago. In this episode, he shares the origin story of this mission and what inspired the idea to send Jesuits to the border to try something new. Before becoming a Jesuit, Fr. Greene went to law school and practiced as a lawyer, so he also talks about the ways he has put his legal background to use in his Jesuit life. Speaking of trying something new, the border is marked by changes in policy that can often come suddenly and unexpectedly, requiring new ways of responding. Brian talks about an Executive Order from June 4th and how that impacted the ability to help vulnerable cases. He shares the story of Juan, Francy, and their kids who missed their CBP One appointment in April because they were kidnapped. They had to restart the process, and are still waiting for a new appointment all these months later. Joe talks about one of the recent fraud updates for the CBP One app that requires every member of a travel group over 14 years old to take a live photo to confirm an appointment. Sounds like a good idea, until you hear the case of Breanne and Maylene that shows how a change in policy can have devastating unexpected consequences. Listen to this episode to hear how these changes have required the Del Camino team to think creatively about how to respond to the ever-changing dynamics.

We are getting ready for Season 7 of The Jesuit Border Podcast! As the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to evolve with new policies and political discourse, we will continue to share on-the-ground stories and experiences with you, along with interviews with inspiring people dedicated to accompanying migrants along the border and across the country. Join us every Tuesday for a new episode. The first episode of Season 7 will come out on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024.

In this bonus episode, Brian and Joe share stories of Easter joy. After a season dedicated to Lenten themes, this bonus episode shares moments of joy that break through even the most challenging moments of life, like a migrant journey. Brian recounts a recent trip to St. Louis, where he became travel partners with Oscar, a Honduran migrant who had lived at Casa del Migrante in Reynosa for months. They decided to surprise Oscar's family when they got to St. Louis, and the plan came together perfectly. Joe tells the story of Marta and her five daughters, who waited for their CBP One appointment for eight long months. When Brian and Joe weren't able to give them a proper send-off before their appointment with immigration, they made a plan to surprise them as they finished their appointment and walked into the U.S. There were shouts of joy, tears, and (of course) a trip to McDonald's. The big question was: would the ice cream machine be working??

For our final episode of Season 6, we are pleased to welcome Fr. Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, SJ, a Jesuit priest and Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Boston College. Alejandro's expertise is in migration, refugees, and humanitarian interventions, especially along migration routes in Mexico. He has led small groups of Jesuits to follow the migrant route from Central America to the U.S. He shares some of the takeaways from that experience, including the challenges to traversing all of Mexico, the stories that migrants carry, and the deep spirituality of migrants. He also reflects on his experiences of celebrating Holy Week with migrants and the meaning of those services in the migrant context. Brian and Joe talk about the Paschal Mystery that is celebrated during Holy Week: the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a dynamic that we live in our own lives, and a dynamic that is revealed profoundly in the lives of migrants. Brian and Joe share the story of Luis, a migrant from Venezuela, who rose from the hardships of the migrant journey, including being kidnapped in Mexico, to eventually enter the U.S. with a scheduled appointment. Now he is living in Denver and has his drivers license, work permit, and a job at a downtown hotel restaurant. Luis is truly a success story who has overcome so many obstacles to seek safety and opportunity.  Enjoy this final episode of Season 6, and blessings on your Holy Week.

We are pleased to welcome Michael DeBruhl, the shelter director at Casa del Sagrado Corazón in El Paso, TX. Michael also worked as a Border Patrol agent for 25 years, so he brings a wealth of experience to the interview. He reflects on the dual desires of most Americans to both secure the border and provide welcome to migrants, and how those two desires do not have to be in direct opposition. He also comments on the current situation in El Paso, where the Texas Attorney General is launching an attack on Annunciation House, a Catholic nonprofit serving migrants and asylum seekers on the border. Brian and Joe reflect on Palm Sunday and the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, as we recall the palms laid before Jesus as he entered the city. Unfortunately, that is not the welcome most migrants receive upon entry into the U.S. Brian shares the story of an Ecuadorian father who had reached the U.S. with his son, but had an ankle monitor strapped to his leg and a credible fear interview scheduled in just ten days, not nearly enough time to seek the legal counsel that would best serve his case. It seems like an inconsistency between the values we profess as a country and the policies we enact. In contrast, Joe highlights the consistency of people like our guest, Michael DeBruhl, along with so many advocates on the border, and those who have visited us for immersion experiences. Of course, Joe can't end without giving a shout out to his home Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, where parishioners have been sending us rosaries to share with migrants.

We are excited to welcome Amaya Valcárcel, International Advocacy Officer with Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Rome, who also works in the area of research and reflection in the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican. Amaya helps to broaden our perspective beyond the US-Mexico border to recognize the harsh reality of forced migration around the world. She echoes the words of Pope Francis calling for a culture of encounter as a remedy to the globalization of indifference that causes societies to build more policies of resistance rather than welcoming for refugees and asylum seekers.  This past Sunday, we celebrated Laetare Sunday (from the Latin for “rejoicing”) in the middle of our Lenten journey. Drawing from that theme, Brian and Joe share stories of joy that breaks through even the harshest of circumstances. Brian tells the story of Kayla, a 4-year-old girl who he baptized in Senda 2 in Reynosa. Despite the harsh conditions of the shelter and the desperation of a long wait to enter the US, Kayla's parents took advantage of their time at the shelter to have their daughter baptized, which was a moment of joy for all who joined in the celebration. Joe recalls the birthday/farewell party for Carlos, a migrant who was staying at Casa del Migrante in Reynosa. The joy reached a new level when Sor Edith, an 80-year-old Daughter of Charity, broke into dance to the delight of all. If you want to see her cut a move, there's got to be a Tik Tok video of her out there somewhere!

We are delighted to welcome Sr. Rose Patrice, IHM, who is a member of the community of Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) sisters based out of McAllen, TX, and working at migrant shelters on the border. Sr. Rose shares the story of how the IHM sisters recently started a community in the area, and she describes the work they do accompanying migrants. Reflecting on the Lenten theme of almsgiving, Sr. Rose talks about how generous people have been supporting their ministry, which they use for a variety of things, including buying shoes for migrants wearing flip flops before they board buses for the colder northern parts of the U.S. Brian and Joe also reflect on the Lenten theme of almsgiving. Joe shares the recent example of a group of students from Boston College High School who extended charity by buying lunch for migrants they met at Whataburger. Beyond that, Joe also shares other ways that he saw the students giving of themselves in their time spent on the border, from helping to translate for a nurse to playing soccer with kids. Brian shares a remarkable story of self-gift through a young woman who put her talents and experiences to use in an emergency situation. The story begins with someone at the U.S.-Mexico bridge asking a group of migrants if any of them have medical experience. When Katy, a nurse from Venezuela, raised her hand, she had no idea what she was going to encounter as she went running onto that bridge!

We are thrilled to welcome Rafael Cortes to this episode of the podcast. While he works professionally as a pilot, he spends his days off joining us for our migrant ministry. He tells the story of how he connected with the Jesuits and started by making sandwiches at their sides. He became involved with the Catholic community at the plaza in Reynosa, and now he helps lead a men's prayer group at Casa del Migrante by sending them a nightly reflection every day. He also loves to play favorites, so he shares the story of Eric, a young boy from Honduras who stole his heart with a hug. Brian and Joe also reflect on the Lenten theme of prayer. Brian talks about the unaccompanied minors who write down their prayer intentions on little pieces of construction paper before Mass. It's remarkable to hear the affectionate ways that they address God, and the moving prayers that they offer. Joe shares the story of Isis, a Venezuelan migrant who used to be a seminarian. He started leading a nightly rosary in his shelter in Matamoros to gather the people together for daily prayer. Joe and Brian have a good laugh about his name, Isis (pronounced “EE-sis” in Spanish). Rest assured, when we say that “Isis is at our border,” we're not talking about terrorists!

We are excited to welcome Eleanor Acer, who is the Senior Director of Refugee Protection at Human Rights First. Established in 1978, Human Rights First works in the U.S. and abroad to promote respect for human rights and the rule of law. Eleanor shares how her pro bono work with asylum seekers inspired her to shift her legal career from securities litigation to human rights defense. Addressing the theme of fasting, Eleanor talks about the many essentials that migrants don't give up willingly, but are denied, including access to safety and the protection of their rights. Brian and Joe reflect on the ways that many migrants they encounter “fast.” Joe shares the story of Guerline, a migrant from Haiti who embodies the spirit of fasting in the sense of denying oneself in order to help others. Brian talks about unaccompanied minors in the U.S., like Carmen, who are forced to fast from cell phone use while they are in centers and their case is being reviewed. It often provokes self-reflection from the teenagers as they are freed from the distractions of social media. Of course, that doesn't mean you need to force a cell phone fast from teenagers in your own family! Eleanor also encourages listeners to contact their representatives in Congress to let them know that the protection of access to asylum is an important issue for you, especially in this election year. If you would like to call your own representative, you can find their information by inputting your address on this page.

For our first episode of Season 6, we are thrilled to welcome back to the podcast our former co-host, Louie Hotop, SJ, who is the Assistant Principal for Mission at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, CO. Louie is helping us launch the Lenten theme for this season by sharing the moving experience of celebrating Ash Wednesday in the camp in Matamoros last year. He reflects on the theme of repentance as we enter Lent, and shares stories of some of the people whom he continues to carry with him even as he has moved on from the border. Plus, he talks about the time he heard confessions while sitting on an overturned bucket crammed between tents in a migrant camp. In this episode, Brian and Joe talk about moments of repentance and God's healing mercy. Joe reflects on the importance of discernment with feelings of guilt and sin. He shares the story of a young girl carrying a guilt that she needed to free herself from, to be able to see the way God was looking on her with love. Brian shares a time he responded uncharitably over text in a conversation with Yurlin, a pregnant woman who was in Reynosa. It didn't take long for him to remember that a pregnant single mother of two young girls living in a shelter in northern Mexico deserves a little more compassion and respect!

We are getting ready for Season 6 of The Jesuit Border Podcast! As we continue to learn about the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and the humanitarian response of the Catholic Church, we will continue to share stories and experiences with you, along with great interviews with people dedicated to the accompaniment and protection of migrants. This season will be specifically designed for Lent. We will cover Lenten themes like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Join us every Tuesday this Lent to reflect on the themes of the liturgical season in light of the migrant experience. The first episode of Season 6 will come out on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.

Earlier this season, it was our pleasure to welcome Susan Bigelow-Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at Emory University. If you enjoyed hearing from her in Episode 2, here is the full interview. Susan shares her experience of living in Brownsville years ago and watching out her front window as the border wall was being constructed, an experience that helped inspire her to study theology. Susan spent Holy Week with us in April 2023, so she reflects on that experience, and especially the power of the liturgy and its symbols in the midst of marginalized communities like a migrant camp. The full interview also includes her reflections on the contrasts and commonalities between her experience living on the border, and her experience in the diverse parish of St. Mary of the Angels in the Roxbury neighborhood in Boston. Susan also advocates for the value of doing theological research on the ground to become more intimate with people's lived realities.

For our final episode of Season 5, we are thrilled to welcome Fr. Flavio Bravo, SJ, a Jesuit priest working with us at Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries. Flavio has been on the border since December of 2022, so he has a wealth of experiences to share from our ministry. He has a particularly strong link to the migrants we accompany since he himself came to the U.S. as a migrant, fleeing the violence in his home country of Nicaragua in the 1980's and coming to the U.S. alone, as a teenager.  The image of how we carry one another comes up throughout the interview. Flavio reflects on how we hold and carry the stories of so many migrants as they share with us their pain and suffering, their hopes and dreams. We talk about how we carry each other and lift one another up as a Jesuit community, bringing our unique gifts and talents. And we smile and laugh at stories of carrying migrants, literally speaking, when we pick small kids up and put them on our shoulders. It's all fun and games, until Joe ends up with a leaky diaper on his neck! Enjoy this final episode of Season 5, and look for us again in the new year!

We are pleased to welcome Pastor Abraham Barberi, Pastor of Comunidad Esencia Urbana in Matamoros and Director of Ministerio Una Misión. Pastor Abraham shares how his ministry started in Matamoros by reaching out to youth and young adults through hip hop music. His story is filled with moments where he just said yes when needs arose, including a chance encounter with asylum seekers on the bridge and the unplanned opening of the Dulce Refugio shelter at his church. Brian and Joe share their own moments of saying yes. Brian tells the story of meeting Hajar, an Iranian migrant he met at the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, TX. His initial curiosity, aided by online translation, led him to learn more about her story and its complexities. Joe shares the story of a teenage girl who was released from being kidnapped in Mexico. They connected on a deeper level as she awaited the release of her other family members. It's a moving story, and this was not the first time Joe has shared it publicly. But the first time came after a twelve-hour road trip across the state of Texas when he was unexpectedly put on the spot! Rest assured, he was better rested and more prepared this time.

We are delighted to welcome Christine Meyer, a parishioner at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City and a member of their Ignatian social justice committee. Christine came to visit Brownsville in January 2022 with other members of the parish, and the experiences of that visit transformed the group. She shares the ways that she has gotten involved locally in New York City with migrants arriving in the city and facing numerous obstacles as they get settled. As stories of migrants arriving in New York City have dominated the news recently, Christine offers insightful and moving reflections from her on-the-ground perspective, while lifting up the stories of some real heroes. Brian and Joe share stories of resilience in the midst of adversity. Joe talks about a food shortage at a shelter in Mexico and how he turned to his prayer squad for help. Brian shares the story of Alejandro, an older man from Venezuela, who was in a place of real despair. He needed a reminder of all the amazing ways God was working through him at the shelter, including his self-appointed role as photographer for every Mass! He might go a little overboard with the amount of photos and videos he takes, but there is no doubt that he has taken on the job with great pride.

We are thrilled to welcome Annie Leone, who is a nurse midwife at the Holy Family Birth Center and a care provider at the clinic at the Humanitarian Respite Center (HRC) run by Catholic Charities. Annie gives a helpful background on midwifery (including how to pronounce that word!), and she describes the birthing center and its origin story. She also shares from her years of experience attending pregnant women at the clinic at the HRC, including the many accounts of partners getting separated by U.S. immigration and stories of the trauma and violence encountered at home and on the journey. Brian and Joe reflect on how their horizons have broadened from their ministry on the border. Joe talks about how drastically his perceptions of migrants have changed after his first few months on the border, including meeting William, a political refugee from Venezuela who went out of his way to care for others. Brian shares a privileged moment of being welcomed into the sacred space of a preteen girl's farewell party at Casa del Migrante. It might be hard to believe, but it all started with a shared love for…mathematics.

We are happy to welcome Deacon Luis Zuñiga, the Director of San Juan Diego Lay Ministry Institute in the Diocese of Brownsville, TX. Deacon Luis is a native to the Rio Grande Valley and has a twin brother who is a priest. We talk about the great women in his life who raised him and his brother in the faith. Deacon Luis also serves at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral downtown, so we discuss how the cathedral opened up its old gym as a respite center for migrants. He shares stories of the many wounds that he has seen on migrants who have come to their door: from cuts crossing razor wire by the river, to bruises and scars from physical abuse during kidnappings. Brian and Joe reflect on their own encounters with the woundedness of migrants they have accompanied. Joe shares the story of a woman who came to the hygiene counter at the Humanitarian Respite Center and needed healing that no medicine alone could provide. Brian recounts the story of Michel, a pregnant woman in Reynosa, whose situation kept increasing in vulnerability as he tried to help get her the resources she needed. It is a story that Michel will likely tell to her newborn child for the rest of her life, and one that Brian won't soon forget!

We are excited to welcome Susan Bigelow-Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at Emory University and author of the recently published book, People Get Ready: Ritual, Solidarity, and Lived Ecclesiology in Catholic Roxbury. Susan shares her experience of living in Brownsville years ago and watching out her front window as the border wall was being constructed, an experience that helped inspire her to study theology. Susan spent Holy Week with us in April of 2023, so she reflects on that experience, and especially the power of the liturgy and its symbols in the midst of marginalized communities like a migrant camp. Brian and Joe share stories about the tangible dimension of our faith, including the popularity of getting sprinkled with holy water and the high demand for rosaries. They also share a moving story of a couple of young migrant girls turning waste into beauty by making crosses out of discarded items that they scrounged together in their camp in Reynosa. And at the end of the episode, you'll hear Brian's inevitable future assignment!

For our first episode of Season 5, we are humbled to welcome Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami, FL. Growing up in south Florida as the son of Polish immigrants, Archbishop Wenski learned Spanish in the seminary and Haitian Creole as a young priest. He shares stories from his 18 years of experience working with the Haitian community. He reflects on his understanding of a missionary spirit that invites one to enter another language or cultural space as a guest and learner. In this episode, Brian and Joe talk about the hospitality that they have received from migrants. The shelters where they minister are spaces where they are really guests of the migrants who live there, and who often want to show hospitality, as any host would to a guest. They share the story of Yurgelis, a migrant woman from Venezuela who generously offered them a meal as a farewell. On another occasion, Juan Diego, a migrant man from southern Mexico, served them chalupas after a Mass in Reynosa. Keep in mind, these were authentic chalupas from Guerrero, Mexico, and not chalupas from Taco Bell. (Not that there is anything wrong with those!)

We are getting ready for the 5th season of The Jesuit Border Podcast! As we continue to learn about the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and the humanitarian response of the Catholic Church, we will continue to share stories and experiences with you! Fr. Louie moved to a new mission, so Joe Nolla, SJ, will be joining Fr. Brian as the new co-host. Meet Joe in this teaser. And stay tuned: the first episode of season 5 will come out on Tuesday, October 23, 2023.

It's with heavy hearts but trust in God's plan that we want to share the news that Fr. Louie has been missioned to a new apostolate, Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, CO.  In this bonus episode, Louie and Brian reflect on saying goodbyes, something that is a regular part of life on the border working with migrants. They share the story of a Honduran family of five that spent several months in Casa del Migrante in Reynosa. During that time, their three children were baptized in a beautiful service at the shelter. After three months of trying, they finally got an appointment through the CBP One app to present at the bridge, and Louie and Brian were there to welcome them to the U.S. with (what else??) a trip to McDonald's! Louie and Brian also reflect on the news of Louie's new mission and the sadness of saying goodbye to our ministry and friends here in the Rio Grande Valley. If you want to send a message of thanks and well-wishes to Louie, rate our podcast and add your message in a comment. Let's send him out with lots of love!

In this bonus episode, Louie and Brian offer their perspective on recent events that have dominated news headlines. They talk about the tragic circumstance in which eight migrants were struck and killed by a truck outside of a migrant shelter, The Ozanam Center, in Brownsville on Sunday, May 7th. They attended a pair of vigil services the day after the tragedy to pray for the men who lost their lives and for their families. Then they discuss how, on May 11th, with much anticipation and heightened media coverage, Title-42 finally came to an end. In the days following the fall of the pandemic policy that has governed the border since March 2020, the Jesuits have encountered a different reality than was being predicted. The bottom line: the border has not suddenly “opened,” and many people are still stuck in terrible and dangerous conditions in northern Mexico. This episode ends with Brian and Louie sharing a couple of stories of the joy and humor that continues to mark their ministry. In this case, one story involves Fr. Louie being literally marked with the snot of a 2-year-old girl. It's perhaps the closest he'll ever get to true fatherhood!

Earlier this season, it was our pleasure to welcome Joanna Williams, the Executive Director of the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), onto the podcast. KBI is a binational program in the border cities of Nogales, Sonora and Nogales, Arizona, which includes a shelter and soup kitchen for migrants, education and encounter programs, along with advocacy outreach in both the U.S. and Mexico. If you enjoyed hearing from her in Episode 2, here is the full interview. Joanna shares the story of what brought her to KBI in 2011 and the stories that continue to inspire her work. She reflects on how her migrant ministry is truly a vocation, and how that ministry has been enhanced and deepened through her own motherhood since the recent birth of her daughter. The full interview includes stories of the many artistic talents she's encountered among migrants, from a now “semi-famous” painter to many talented singers. She also reflects on persistence in the midst of adversity and offers her take on reframing migration in a more positive light through insights drawn from Catholic theology.

For our final episode of Season 4, we are thrilled to welcome Fr. James Martin, SJ, a Jesuit priest who is a best-selling author and editor-at-large at America Magazine, along with hosting a podcast on the Ignatian Examen. The Examen is a contemplative prayer of reflecting on the moments of your day, noticing how God has been at work, and considering how you responded. For this episode, Louie and Brian turn the interview around, and invite Fr. Martin to interview them and lead them on a guided Examen of their nearly two years of ministry on the U.S.-Mexico border. They reflect on moments of growth and grace, of challenge and failure. They share stories that have meant so much to them, like when children carried the cross around the Reynosa plaza on Good Friday, or when Louie went looking for displaced migrant friends at local Reynosa shelters the day after the plaza was forcibly cleared out. They highlight two people who inspire them (that's you Rafael and Sr. Rose!), and even spend a few minutes saying nice things about each other. They conclude the episode (and the season) with a prayer, for all the migrants that they have encountered carrying their crosses and in gratitude for this ministry that reveals the face of Christ daily.

We are pleased to welcome Laura Peña, the new Director of ProBAR, the south Texas pro bono asylum representation project. She is also the host of the new podcast, Valle de Sueños, which tells the story of the roll down of the “Remain in Mexico” policy in 2021 in Matamoros, Mexico. As a Rio Grande Valley native, Laura shares about the joys and challenges of living on the border and the beautiful networks that form among advocates when they work together for a common cause. Louie and Brian explore the art of storytelling and reflect upon how this podcast has been not only a useful tool for their ministry, but also a means for them to personally reflect more deeply upon their own experiences. They share some of their favorite stories that have come out of the podcast, and they talk about some of the limitations of the medium. If anyone out there is looking to be a pro bono translator / voice-over artist, feel free to reach out!

We are excited to welcome Pastor Carlos Navarro from the Baptist Church in West Brownsville, TX. Pastor Navarro got a call from the Brownsville mayor a few years ago to help receive migrants. That phone call turned into a shelter that he continues to run today, along with the everyday operations of his ministry. Pastor Navarro also shares from his own experience as a migrant from Guatemala, and the unlikely path he took from San Francisco bartender to Baptist pastor. Louie and Brian reflect on celebrating Mass with migrants during Lent and some of the difficulties of conveying the joy of the Gospel when the musical selections can be so somber. They also reflect on the joy that begins every celebration of Mass they share with migrants, when they call out the countries that people come from. Don't forget “los gringos!”

We are pleased to welcome Fr. Rafael García, SJ, who is the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in El Paso, TX. He shares from his own background as a migrant fleeing Cuba for Miami, and how this inspired his deep care for migrants and his mission to the border city of El Paso. His church made the news in the winter when they opened up their gymnasium to house migrants in response to a pressing need in the community. Since opening their doors, they have continued to offer food and overnight shelter. Louie and Brian reflect on their own experience of responding to needs. With the CBP One app currently serving as the only means for migrants in northern Mexico to access the U.S. through ports of entry, having a smartphone is essential. So imagine the exacerbation of an Ecuadorian couple in Senda 2 who had one phone stolen in southern Mexico, and dropped the other in a gutter. It was time to issue a call to search desk drawers to help this couple out!

We are happy to welcome Martha Mercado, from Good Neighbor Settlement House where she works as the Welcome Center Program Director and the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Welcoming Committee Facilitator. Martha shares what she loves about her job, including face-to-face ministry at the welcome center and big-picture coordination of local organizations. She offers her personal reflections on faith and gives thanks for the many “bendiciones” (blessings) that migrants shower on her daily. Louie and Brian recount their celebration of World Day of the Sick in migrant shelters, where they invited migrants to be anointed. At the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Louie had to adjust some of the language on the fly when he realized most of the people who had come forward for anointing were pregnant women. It didn't sound quite right to pray that they be “cured” of their pregnancy!

We are excited to welcome Joanna Williams, the Executive Director of the Kino Border Initiative (KBI). KBI is a binational program that includes a shelter and soup kitchen for migrants in Nogales, Senora, and education and encounter programs, along with advocacy outreach in both the U.S. and Mexico. Joanna shares the story of what brought her to KBI in 2011 and the stories that continue to inspire her work. She reflects on how her migrant ministry is truly a vocation, and how that ministry has been enhanced and deepened through her own motherhood since the recent birth of her daughter. Louie and Brian share the story of Pilar's vocation as a father, and the sacrifices he's made to support his family on their journey north from Honduras. They also share their own vocational calls to minister at the border. Brian's was a call born out of living in Nicaragua, spending a summer at KBI, and focusing on migration in theology studies. Louie's was a phone call from the provincial that came by surprise!

For our first episode of Season 4, we are humbled to welcome Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, TX. Dating back to his time in formation for the priesthood, Archbishop Gustavo has a history of working with migrants, beginning in agricultural communities in California in the 1980s and extending to the ministry of the Archdiocese of San Antonio that cares for migrants today. He had to face two consecutive tragedies in late spring 2021, between the school shooting in Uvalde and the case of 53 migrants dying from heat exhaustion in the back of a trailer. In both cases, Archbishop Gustavo responded by meeting people where they were at: mourners outside the school, and survivors in their hospital rooms. In this episode, we also offer our own humble reflections on the ministry of accompaniment amid the ever-changing realities along the border. That includes our visits with anxious families in a newly formed encampment in Matamoros, and time spent sitting with a pregnant woman from Haiti as she tries to navigate the newly launched “CBP One” app to schedule appointments at border ports of entry. Does anyone know how to say “password” in Haitian Creole??

We are getting ready for the 4th Season of the Jesuit Border Podcast! As we continue to learn more about the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and the humanitarian response of the Catholic Church, we will continue to share stories and experiences with you! The first episode of season 4 will come out on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

It was our great pleasure to welcome Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, TX at the start of Season 3. Known for his advocacy for the poor and vulnerable, Bishop Seitz offers a unique perspective as a leader of the Church in a border community. If you enjoyed hearing from him in Episode 1, here is the full interview. In this episode, he calls for a deeper conversation about migration, one that is not solely dominated by socio-political concerns, but shaped by a theological perspective that identifies the migrant experience as essential for understanding the Church. He also talks about celebrating Mass at the border wall on an altar which straddled both sides; a reminder of the unifying force of the Eucharist even amidst division. The full interview includes his reflections on how priestly ministry in our world today needs to be rooted in humility and service. He also offers insights into his own prayer life and some of the saints who inspire him.

For our final episode of Season 3, we are thrilled to welcome Fr. Scott Santarosa, SJ, the former provincial of the Jesuits West Province and newly installed pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Diego, CA. Fr. Scott has become a fast friend to the two of us after visiting the Rio Grande Valley early in the year and then helping to host us on a visit to El Paso, TX, where he spent part of his sabbatical. He talks about how he's gone from a childhood in Sacramento, to a love for Latino ministry, to his first assignment on the border. And he shares the consolation he experienced just taking out the trash at a migrant shelter after years spent working behind a desk as Provincial. Reflecting on other friends in ministry for us, we give thanks for the Mercy Sisters and IHM Sisters who regularly minister in the same migrant shelters. And we give a shout-out to our newest friend in ministry, Jules, our Toyota Sienna. We've had a lot of hoops to jump through to get her into Mexico, but she's worth the wait! Oh, and in the area of current events, Title 42 is scheduled to be lifted on December 21st. It's been the governing border policy since the pandemic started. We'll see what happens, but we're expecting big changes between now and the debut of Season 4 next year. Stay tuned and thanks for listening! We'll see you next season!

We are excited to welcome Sr. Tracey Horan, SP, the Associate Director of Education and Advocacy for the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, AZ. Kino is a bi-national program that includes a shelter and soup kitchen for migrants in Nogales, Senora, and education and encounter programs, along with advocacy outreach in both the U.S. and Mexico. Sr. Tracey shares the challenges and hopes from Kino's initiatives to advocate for immigration reform. She offers examples of how experiences of students coming to visit the border or hearing migrant's stories helps to humanize the migrant experience and reshape the way people think about the issue. We share our own joys and frustrations (mostly frustrations…only frustrations??) with our attempts at advocacy phone calls with the staff of our representatives in Congress. And we talk about what it's like to be surrounded by pregnant women in a migrant shelter demanding help. Not something a pair of young priests are used to facing! But they are their own best advocates!

This week, we're taking a bit of a break from the podcast to celebrate Thanksgiving! Episodes for season 3 will continue to be released next week. For now, however, there is so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Although the situation on the border is fraught with problems and our ministry can at times be challenging, we give thanks to God for the opportunity to accompany his beloved people on the margins, and we thank you for your support of this ministry over the past year and a half. Without the support of donors and listeners to the podcast, this ministry would not be possible. With that in mind, we thought it would be fitting to join together with all of you in prayer this Thanksgiving for migrants around the world. In this brief episode, we offer a prayer from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for all migrants and refugees. Before the prayer, we debate our favorite Thanksgiving dish - canned cranberry, the unsung hero of Thanksgiving, takes the crown! Or, at least, that's Louie's opinion. What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish??

We are excited to welcome Tom Cartwright, an advocate and activist who volunteers with the RGV Welcome Committee and Witness at the Border. Tom retired after nearly forty years working for JP Morgan, but was inspired by a visit to a refugee camp in Greece to put his corporate skills to use on behalf of migrants. Among other things, he tracks the Department of Homeland Security flights for deportation, expulsion, or “lateral flights” that move migrants from one part of the border to another. We share from our recent experience encountering migrants who had crossed the border near El Paso, but then were flown a thousand miles away to Brownsville to be processed. What we thought was going to be the start of our weekend, turned into a frantic night of surveying about seventy migrants who were left to sleep on the street outside the local bus station. We end the episode pitching an Ignatian Camino to Spain for the summer of…2024? Who's interested??

We are pleased to welcome Mary Bull, a house coordinator at Annunciation House in El Paso, TX. Annunciation House was founded in the 1970s to accompany the migrant, refugee, and economically vulnerable peoples of the border region through hospitality, advocacy, and education. They operate several houses of hospitality for migrants in El Paso. Mary talks about what first brought her from Michigan down to the border, and what has inspired her to continue her work there for the past ten years. We share examples of faithfulness in mission that we've encountered, including the two Mexican Jesuits who were killed earlier this year in the Tarahumara mountains, Fr. Javier Campos, SJ, and Fr. Joaquin Mora, SJ. We also talk about a local example of faithfulness, Sr. Edith Garrido, a Daughter of Charity working at Casa del Migrante in Reynosa. She has been rightly described as the beating heart of the shelter, and we get a laugh speculating widely about her age.