Kindness and forgiveness were the topic of the night Nov. 22, when Mother Antonia Brenner, the “Prison Angel” of Tijuana, spoke to a crowd of about 200 at the Bakersfield College Indoor Theater.

“Not everybody is called to a prison here or in Mexico, everyone is called to be understanding, everyone is called to be kind. Everybody is called to bring hope to others,” she said during her presentation.

The Irish Catholic nun, who recently published a book of her experiences, “The Prison Angel: Mother Antonia’s Journey from Beverly Hills to a Life of Service in a Mexican Jail,” knew what the audience was interested in.

“I know most people want to know about my life in prison,” she said, going on to share stories.

One of the stories Mother Antonia told was that of a woman whose son was dying due to kidney problems. The woman struggled to get the money for her son’s medicine each month. She went to various places, the Mexican and U.S. governments, and asked people at church for help. She was treated with disrespect and rudeness at each place.

After getting one-time funding from the Mexican government, she encountered a bandit on her way to buy her son’s medicine. The man grabbed her and demanded her money. In her purse all she had was the money and a picture of her son. The bandit asked who the young man in the photo was. The woman pleaded her situation, and the bandit offered the woman his sympathy and protection as she walked the dangerous road.

“Isn’t it strange that in a church, in two government offices, in a social club, she couldn’t find anyone who could say something nice to her,” she said. “It doesn’t cost you to be kind. It’s hard to take an assaulter, a man wanted by the police, a man that robs, and he knew how to be kind.”

Student Letty Jimenez attended the speech for extra credit in her Chicano history class and was pleased to have been able to hear what Mother Antonia had to say.

“I’m glad I came. You don’t think of (your words) as hurting other people,” she said. Jimenez had come with her mother Leticia Jimenez, who found a lot of meaning in the night’s talk.

“It transports you to the real meaning of life. It’s what I believe in: kindness and loving people. I’m leaving this place feeling good,” she said.

Mother Antonia came to BC through a turn of events involving Sister Anne Marie Maxfield, a former Bakersfield resident, and an invitation to visit for Thanksgiving which evolved plans for Sister Anne to speak to one of Chuck Wall’s classes. Once Mother Antonia agreed to come along, the visit changed to a public appearance. The appearance was part of the Eminent Speaker Series, and sponsored by the BC Foundation and the Wylie and May Louise Jones Endowment.

“This is what our education is supposed to be,” said BC President William Andrews. “We’re supposed to be reaching out into the community. Some people are going to come and take the classes, but the goal is to bring more speakers to the campus. The idea is to put together an entire year series and publicize it in advance so the people in the community can know the dates and put it on their calendar.”