The Jesuit Border Podcast
by The Jesuit Post
Brian Strassburger, SJ, and Juan Ruiz, SJ, are two Jesuits with Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries based in the diocese of Brownsville, TX, and working along the U.S.-Mexico Border. This podcast will share on-the-ground stories and interviews that highlight the tremendous response to the migrant situation from a Catholic perspective.
Episodes
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S11E3: “Your Life Matters” with Lulú Gonzalez from Casa Clínica Lulú in Reynosa, Mexico
We are delighted to welcome Lulú Gonzalez from Casa Clínica Lulú in Reynosa, Mexico, which she founded in 2017. Casa Clínica is a migrant shelter, soup kitchen, and medical clinic. She shares some of the extreme cases she has faced over the years, like a Haitian man with his stomach split open…
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S11E2: “Vital Information” with Savi Arvey from Human Rights First
We are excited to welcome Savi Arvey, the Director of Policy for Refugee and Immigrant Rights at Human Rights First. Savi runs the flight monitor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flights. In this episode, she pulls back the curtain of ICE Air, a massive operation of the government to...
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S11E1: “Our Faith Will Lead Us” with Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
We are very excited to welcome Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. She talks about the important work of Catholic Charities accompanying families that have been separated by immigration enforcement. She also shares the harrowing story of...
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S11 Opener: What we learn at Mass in migrant shelters and ICE detention centers
We are excited to launch Season 11 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. In this opener, we welcome this season’s co-host, Juan Ruiz, SJ, a Jesuit priest who is spending a month with Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries. Juan shares some of his initial impressions of the ministry, especially the dynamic…
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BONUS EPISODE: “Let the Children Come to Me: Encounters of Resilience and Joy” with Ian Peoples, SJ, and Justin Kelley, SJ
In this bonus episode, we welcome two Jesuit scholastics who are in formation for the priesthood, Ian Peoples, SJ, and Justin Kelley, SJ. They are both studying theology at Boston College and visited Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries this summer. Ian and Justin talk about their motivations for...
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BONUS EPISODE: “Despedida” - Saying Farewell to co-host Joe Nolla, SJ
In this bonus episode, we are saying farewell to Joe Nolla, SJ, the co-host of The Jesuit Border Podcast for the last three years. In June, Joe is heading off to theology studies in Paris, France, to continue with his formation as a Jesuit in preparation for his ordination to the priesthood. In...
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S10E7: “The Death of Asylum” with Jonathan Blitzer, journalist and staff writer at The New Yorker
For our final episode of Season 10, we are excited to welcome Jonathan Blitzer, journalist and staff writer at The New Yorker. Jonathan’s 2024 book, “Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis,” was named a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2024....
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S10E6: “Shifting the Narrative” with Kristin Heyer, Theology Professor at Boston College
We are delighted to welcome Kristin Heyer, who holds the Joseph Chair in Theology and is a Professor of Theological Ethics at Boston College. Kristin reflects on the current campaign of mass deportation in light of a Christian ethic. Framed by Church teaching from Vatican II to Pope Francis and...
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S10E5: “Holy Sacred Moments” with Hung Nguyen, SJ, from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in San Diego
We are excited to welcome Hung Nguyen, SJ, a Jesuit priest and parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in San Diego. Hung is a migrant himself who came to the U.S. from Vietnam as a child. In San Diego, he has helped to lead the parish’s efforts to serve and accompany the local migrant...
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S10E4: “The Church as a Field Hospital” with Bishop Cristiano Borro Barbosa from the Archdiocese of Boston
We are humbled to welcome Bishop Cristiano Borro Barbosa, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Boston. Bishop Cristiano was born in Brazil and came to the U.S. for graduate studies as a priest. He ended up joining the Archdiocese of Boston and was later ordained an auxiliary bishop. He…
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S10E3: “Putting Your Passion to Work” with Michele Pistone, professor of law at Villanova University
We are thrilled to welcome Michele Pistone, who is a professor of law at Villanova University and the director of the VIISTA online program, which trains people to serve as “accredited representatives” in immigration court without a law degree. She emphasizes the importance of legal…
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S9E2: “The Inhumanity of Mass Deportation” with Dylan Corbett from the Hope Border Institute
We are delighted to welcome Dylan Corbett, the Executive Director of the Hope Border Institute based in El Paso, TX. Dylan reflects on the cycles in U.S. history of welcoming migrants followed by intense rejection. He laments the massive funding boost to immigration enforcement and how that is...
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S10E1: “Faith Comes Before Fear” with Bishop Kevin Kenney of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
For our first full episode of Season 10, we are thrilled to welcome Bishop Kevin Kenney, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. In early 2026, ICE ramped up enforcement operations in the Twin Cities, which led to the killing of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex...
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S10 Opener: Looking for Light Amid the Devastating Realities of Migrant Enforcement
We are excited to launch Season 10 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. We continue to see changes along the border and throughout the country as we adjust to the realities of a brutal campaign of indiscriminate mass deportation. In this opener, we share stories from our celebration of Christmas Eve on...
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S9E7: “Becoming a Church That Listens” with Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, NJ
For our final episode of Season 9, we are humbled to welcome Joseph Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, NJ. Cardinal Tobin talks about growing up in a thriving Catholic parish in Detroit, MI, and later serving there as a Redemptorist priest when the parish had become increasingly ethnically...
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S9E6: “Family Separation” with Sue Weishar, immigrant advocate from New Orleans, LA
We are delighted to welcome Sue Weishar, a lifelong immigrant advocate who lives in New Orleans, LA. She is the former director of Immigration and Refugee Services at Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and a former policy and research fellow with Jesuit Social Research Institute...
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S9E5: “Rule of Law” with Mario Russell, Executive Director of the Center for Migration Studies
We are thrilled to welcome Mario Russell, the Executive Director of the Center for Migration Studies (CMS). CMS is a Catholic think tank devoted to the study of international migration. Mario talks about the background of the center and the research they are engaged in. He talks about his...
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S9E4: “Change of Direction” with Sr. Nora Ruiz, S.H.Sp., from La Posada Providencia in San Benito, TX
We are delighted to welcome Sr. Nora Ruiz, who is a children’s advocate and the volunteer coordinator at the La Posada Providencia shelter in San Benito, TX. She is a Sister of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate, a vocation which she came to later in life. Sr. Nora shares the motivations for...
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S9E3: “Jesus the Refugee” with Glenn Butner, author and professor at the Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
We are excited to welcome Glenn Butner, who is an Associate Professor of Theology at the Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. He is also the author of “Jesus the Refugee: Ancient Injustice and Modern Solidarity.” He speaks at length about his book, which is a fascinating thought...
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S9E2: “Using Your Experience” with Sr. Erin McDonald, CSJ, co-host of the Beyond the Habit podcast
We are delighted to welcome Sr. Erin McDonald, CSJ, who is the co-host of the Beyond the Habit podcast. Sr. Erin is a Sister of St. Joseph and is currently working in young adult ministry. She also has an extensive background accompanying refugees and asylum seekers. Before entering religious…
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S9E1: “Where do you find refuge?” with Bishop Michael Pham of the Diocese of San Diego, CA
For our first full episode of Season 9, we are humbled to welcome Bishop Michael Pham of the Diocese of San Diego, CA. Bishop Pham was the first U.S. bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV. He shares the harrowing story of fleeing Vietnam as a young boy on a small boat that nearly capsized in the sea....
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S9 Teaser: Frightening Increases to Migrant Enforcement
We are getting ready to launch Season 9 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. We have seen a lot of changes on the border and across the country since our last season ended in April. In this teaser, we share stories that help paint the picture of the border reality and what concerns us about migrant...
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S8E7: “Being Present” with Jason De Leon, anthropologist, researcher and professor at UCLA, and award-winning author
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....
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S8E6: “Being Christ to One Another” with Sr. Patricia Mulderick, RSM, from the immigration cohort of ARISE Adelante
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...
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S8E5: “Human Trafficking” with Katie Boller Gosewisch, Executive Director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking
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...
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S8E4: “Evangelized by the Poor” with Fr. Alberto Ares, SJ, regional director of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Europe
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...
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S8E3: “We are responsible for each other” with Dr. Kim Lamberty, Executive Director of the Quixote Center
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.…
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S8E2: “Lawyer Up” with Marianne Staniunas, Pro Bono Immigration Counsel at Ropes & Gray LLP
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...
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S8E1: “We are united more than divided” with Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, TX
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...
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S8 Teaser: Drastic Changes on the Border since January 20th
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...
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S7E7: “Iglesia en Salida” with Bishop Joseph Tyson from the Diocese of Yakima, WA
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...
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S7E6: “Being Part of the Solution” with Harrison Hanvey, from the Office of Justice and Ecology at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States
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...
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S7E5: “Missing Home” with Jeanne Rossomme, Parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish in Washington, D.C.
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…
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S7E4: “The Joy of Participation” with Guerline Mardi, an asylum seeker from Haiti
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...
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S7E3: “Resisting Polarization in Politics” with Theresa Cardinal Brown, Senior Advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center
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,...
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S7E2: “The Long Wait” with Pedro De Velasco, Director of Education and Advocacy at the Kino Border Initiative
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…
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S7E1: “Starting Something New” with Fr. Tom Greene, SJ, Provincial of the U.S. Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus
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...
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Teaser: Season 7 of The Jesuit Border Podcast
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...
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BONUS EPISODE: Easter Joy! Brian and Joe share stories of joy as migrants legally enter the U.S. and reunite with family and friends
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...
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S6E7: “Holy Week” with Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, SJ, Jesuit priest and Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Boston College
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…
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S6E6: “Palm Sunday” with Michael DeBruhl, Shelter Director at Casa del Sagrado Corazón in El Paso, TX
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...
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S6E5: “Rejoicing” with Amaya Valcárcel, International Advocacy Officer with Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Rome
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...
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S6E4: “Almsgiving” with Sr. Rose Patrice, IHM, a religious sister based in McAllen, TX
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...
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S6E3: “Prayer” with Rafael Cortes, pilot with American Airlines and our companion in ministry
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…
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S6E2: “Fasting” with Eleanor Acer, Senor Director of Refugee Protection at Human Rights First
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...
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S6E1: “Repentance” with Louie Hotop, SJ, Assistant Principal for Mission at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, CO
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…
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Teaser: Season 6 of The Jesuit Border Podcast
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...
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BONUS CONTENT: full interview with Susan Bigelow-Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies at Emory University
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...
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S5E7: “Carrying Each Other” with Flavio Bravo, SJ, Jesuit priest with Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries
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...
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S5E6: “Saying Yes” with Pastor Abraham Barberi, Pastor of Comunidad Esencia Urbana in Matamoros, Mexico
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...
About this show
Brian Strassburger, SJ, and Juan Ruiz, SJ, are two Jesuits with Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries based in the diocese of Brownsville, TX, and working along the U.S.-Mexico Border. This podcast will share on-the-ground stories and interviews that highlight the tremendous response to the migrant situation from a Catholic perspective.
Hosted by
The Jesuit Post
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