Meet the Sisters

A Day in the Life...S. Juana Mendez

Where do you live and minister?
I live in Fort Mitchell, Ky., where I minister to the Hispanic immigrant community in the Northern Kentucky area.

Please give a brief description of your ministry.
My work consists of various daily routines. I received an accreditation with the Immigration Board of Appeals so I can do limited immigration work. I help Hispanics who are in a citizenship class that is offered at the parish to fill out the necessary forms to apply to become a United States citizen. I fill out forms to petition for family members for a U Visa, which is a temporary immigration benefit for victims of certain qualifying criminal activities. I also take immigrants to immigration court appearances in Louisville, Ky. In many cases when Hispanic immigrants are detained by the local police force or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, I get a phone call asking for help either by a family member or a friend. If the person needs to be bailed out of jail, usually, I am the person who has to go and sign them out because family members have no legal status in this country. School appointments, doctor appointments, calling to get their car insurance activated and funeral arrangements are other issues I deal with almost on a daily basis.

When does your day begin?
That is an excellent question. My day may begin at 3 a.m. when I get a phone call because there is a death in the family or someone has been taken to jail. On a normal day I start at 10 a.m. but I may work until 8 p.m. trying to help people.

Prior to leaving for your day’s work, what is your morning ritual?
I begin my day with personal prayer and by reading the daily readings. I sit and meditate on my daily work and ask God to help me go about my work. I have a list of people I need to raise to God on a daily basis. One of my requests is for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. I discovered that if I get up and leave without praying my day is stressful. God goes to bed with me and wakes up with me.

Please describe what this day in your ministry involved.
There is a young adult in my parish community who has expressed the desire to become a priest. I have been helping him and today we had an appointment to see a lawyer because he is an immigrant with no status. After that I picked up a single mother to take her to fill out forms for medical assistance for her son. When I returned to the office I was asked to fill out an immigration form for someone and make a phone call to Arkansas for someone who is trying to apply to naturalize but needs information regarding his criminal history.

How do you carry out the spirit of Elizabeth Seton in your ministry?
I am working with marginalized people who have very little; the alienated immigrant, poor, lonely, rejected who has no other place to go. I get most of my inspiration from reflecting on the life and ministry of Elizabeth Seton.

What time do you usually return home in the evening?
My day ends between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

How did you spend your evening?
When I arrived at home, I did some reading, relaxed for a few hours and went to bed.

How did you pray?
For evening prayer I recited the rosary.

What were your interactions with other Sisters of Charity or Associates?
I made two phone calls to the Motherhouse during the day but I was not able to speak to the Sister I was calling. I left a message letting one person know I will be there Friday for Mass.

 

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