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Norma Pimentel, MJ (born July 1, 1953) is a Mexican-American nun of theMissionaries of Jesus and the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.[1][2] She has been praised byPope Francis and others for her work with refugees and immigrants to the United States.[1][3] She has also gained international attention for her work and for speaking out against theTrump administration family separation policy.[1][2][4]
In 2020, she was included onTime'slist of the 100 most influential people in the world.[5]
Pimentel was born on July 1, 1953,[4] inBrownsville, Texas, where her parents had applied for residency.[2][4] Her mother was from Matamoros and her father was fromChiapas, both in Mexico.[4]
She started kindergarten inMatamoros, Mexico, and then moved to Brownsville, Texas.[1][2] She describes herself as an American citizen by chance, having grown up on both sides of the border.[2][4] She has four siblings.[4]
She was a poor student in high school but improved her grades enough to be admitted to college.[1] She studied art, earning a bachelor's degree in the subject from thePan American University.[4] She made money as a young woman designing window displays for clothing stores.[1]
Pimentel entered religious life against the wishes of her family.[1] She entered the Missionaries of Jesus in 1978.[4] As part of her formation, she earned a master's degree in theology fromSt. Mary's University.[4][1] She later earned a second master's in counseling atLoyola University Chicago.
She began working with refugees in 1980 at the CasaOscar Romero and there developed a passion for the work.[4] Pimentel became executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in 2004,[a] having previously served as a counselor and assistant director.[4][1][3][2] In this role she provides food, shelter, and other necessities to migrants entering the United States.[3][2] She has been featured in newspapers around the world, on20/20,CNN,60 Minutes, and more.[4]
Pimentel continues to paint, often portraying the refugee families she sees in her shelter.[4] The paintings are often donated to fundraisers, and one was given as a gift to Pope Francis during his2015 trip to the United States.[4]
Pimentel was selected to receive theLaetare Medal by theUniversity of Notre Dame in recognition of outstanding service to the Catholic Church and society in March 2018. In September 2018, she was honored the Hispanic Heritage Award for Service during the 31st AnnualHispanic Heritage Awards - considered among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos in the U.S.[6]
In 2020,Time named her one of the 100 most influential people of 2020 because of her three decades of work showing mercy to migrants entering Texas from Mexico to seek refuge in the United States, noting that she is called “the Pope’s favorite nun.”[7]
In 2023, Pimental was one of the first recipients of the Civic Renewal Award, an award given to Christians who demonstrate "exemplary contributions to the health and well-being of their communities and nation". She was recognized for her "tireless efforts in serving and advocating for the marginalized and vulnerable".[8] She is also known for having a strong working relationship with BishopDaniel E. Flores, who has said of her, “My attitude as a bishop is if you have someone who knows what they’re doing, let them do it”.[9]