Breaking Bread and Borders with Bishop Mark Seitz on the Jesuit Border Podcast

This week, we’re pleased to bring you another cross-over episode with our colleagues from the Jesuit Border Podcast! Jesuit fathers Brian Strassburger and Louie Hotop live and work in the Rio Grande Valley, providing aid and spiritual companionship to migrants on both sides of the US-Mexico border. Their podcast depicts their daily ministry, and how communities are responding to the humanitarian crisis on the border. On this episode, Brian and Louie interview Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, TX. 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. On 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. We offer our own reflection on experiences of breaking bread with migrants through our Sacramental ministry; including a 12-year-old altar server named Vincent who just can’t quite seem to figure out when to ring the bells. Subscribe to the Jesuit Border Podcast wherever you listen! Learn more about Louie and Brian’s work: https://thejesuitpost.org/2021/11/the-jesuit-border-podcast/