Mary Fontana on Strangers in the Province of Joy

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 TuamaKey Topics:

The origins and history of Annunciation HouseThe concept of radical hospitality and its importanceRoot causes of migration including US foreign policy and climate changeThe role of personal relationships and presence in service workThe intersection of faith, justice, and activism in immigrationThe ongoing legal challenges faced by organizations like Annunciation HouseThe importance of education and awareness in changing perceptionsThe spiritual and contemplative practices that sustain service workChapters

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