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Mary Fontana on Strangers in the Province of Joy

Mary Fontana on Strangers in the Province of Joy

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In this timely episode we visit with the author of Strangers in the Province of Joy: Practicing Radical Hospitality at the US-Mexico Border, Mary Fontana. While in college Mary began a 20+ year relationship with Annunciation House in El Paso which houses and provides care for migrants. This book is all about the important work of Annunciation House, its surprising and tender beginnings, and about the root causes that lead to people leaving their home countries. We talk about liberation theology, the United States complicity in the instability in Central America, and what we can all do to better love our neighbor as ourselves.


Show Notes:
  • Strangers in the Province of Joy: Practicing Radical Hospitality at the US-Mexico Border
  • Mary Fontana’s Website
  • Annunciation House
  • A Prayer of Shelter and Shadow by Pádraig ó Tuama
Key Topics:
  • The origins and history of Annunciation House
  • The concept of radical hospitality and its importance
  • Root causes of migration including US foreign policy and climate change
  • The role of personal relationships and presence in service work
  • The intersection of faith, justice, and activism in immigration
  • The ongoing legal challenges faced by organizations like Annunciation House
  • The importance of education and awareness in changing perceptions
  • The spiritual and contemplative practices that sustain service work
Chapters
00:30 A Prayer for Shelter and Community
02:35 Introducing Mary Fontana and Her Work
05:15 The Role of Annunciation House
10:02 Understanding Borders: Geographic and Internal
13:08 Migration as an Earth Right
17:52 Root Causes of Migration
22:07 Climate Change and Migration
26:51 The Politics of Immigration and Othering
31:39 Emergency Response and Human Connection
34:17 The Founders' Wisdom and Open-Heartedness
38:55 The Role of Contemplation in Service
43:56 Balancing Presence and Productivity
48:49 Justice and Mercy in Hospitality
52:10 Spreading Awareness Through Storytelling
54:15 Radical Hospitality Defined
58:57 Facing Political Challenges with Resilience
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