A Texas nun who advocates for immigrants is making an unexpected journey to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral a decade after the pontiff singled her out for praise during a 2015 ABC News event.
Sister Norma Pimentel has been the face of immigrant advocacy in South Texas for more than a decade, overseeing the Rio Grande Valley in her role as executive director of Catholic Charities.
Sister Norma Pimental is shown during an interview with ABC News.
ABC News
Speaking to ABC News on Thursday, Pimentel recalled her work with migrant families in 2014 when she helped Border Patrol respond to large groups of families arriving in poor conditions, mostly from El Salvador. She highlighted the community’s response at Sacred Heart Parish Hall and discussed the impact of Pope Francis’ support.
“I visited Rome and wrote him letters and he sent a video message,” Pimentel told ABC News. “After that, I was invited to the Vatican a couple of times to speak and I met the Holy Father as well.”
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-ABC News’ Mireya Villarreal, James Scholz and Doc Louallen
