Facing Crises With the Antibodies of Catholicism How does one continue the Works of Mercy in the midst of a pandemic? How can one help to keep faith and hope alive when people are worried and anxious and ill and some in their desperation become angry and have even sought scapegoats? We often hear of… continue reading
Exhausted Catholic Workers rest with social distancing
March 31, 2020 by
Our CW’s at Casa Juan Diego, pictured below, are risking much to provide food to the poor and continue housing immigrants and refugees. One man walked from east Houston to receive food this morning because so many pantries have closed. We are preparing many things also for the sick and injured each day, the paralyzed… continue reading
Thanksgiving Letter
January 25, 2020 by
Life at Casa Juan Diego is like being in front of an eternal conveyor belt with countless people, with never ending needs passing by. People come for food, for hospitality, for advice, for help to survive, for ways to engage the legal system, for ways to help children succeed in school, for a wheel chair… continue reading
Christmas Letter 2019
December 4, 2019 by
Dear Friends of Casa Juan Diego, Thanks be to God and generous people, Casa Juan Diego has completed its 39th year. Because of your generosity thousands of poor people have been served and many refugees and immigrants and their families have been helped. Our Houses of Hospitality have been full for many months. The food… continue reading
A Meditation on the Incarnation
November 26, 2019 by
Reflection on the Good News announced by the angel on that Holy Night when Jesus was born brings to us an awareness of the profound beauty and reality of the Incarnation, but also the contrast of the harsher reality of the world of that time, as well as that of our own time in history…. continue reading
Reflections at Casa Juan Diego on Tropical Storm Imelda and Climate Change
September 21, 2019 by
Continuing Mark Zwick’s tradition of sharing the faith in the light of current realities with the guests of Casa Juan Diego, last night we reflected with the 35 men at Casa Don Marcos on the recent tropical storm here and climate change. We shared a section of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si on climate change, mentioning… continue reading
Bishop Ramazzini, Friend of the Poor, Named a Cardinal
September 8, 2019 by
We received with joy the news that Bishop Ramazzini of the Diocese of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, is one of the new Cardinals that will be created by Pope Francis at the October consistory. Mark and Louise Zwick met Bishop Ramazzini in the in his former Diocese of San Marcos. They were concerned about the plight of… continue reading
“You Shall Not Wrong Any Widow or Orphan”: Seeking a Better Way Than Family Separation
August 1, 2019 by
One of our guests sat weeping in our office as she contemplated her future. Her husband was in immigration detention and the possibilities for his release were not good. Our Honduran guest (we will call her Suyapa), eight months pregnant, had been released while her husband was sent to further detention in Georgia. Their baby… continue reading
Oscar Romero: God’s Glory in the Poor – and In the 36 New Men at Casa Juan Diego
March 29, 2019 by
Oscar Romero’s Theological Vision: Liberation and Transfiguration of the Poor, by Edgardo Colón-Emeric. Notre Dame University Press, 2018. Reviewed by Louise Zwick As we recently received thirty-six Central American men as guests in our house in one day,not only paying for their travel to get here, feeding them, acquiring extra mattresses, providing hospitality bags, answering… continue reading
When the Doorbell Rings at Casa Juan Diego
March 29, 2019 by
We know that when our doorbell rings, it may very well be Jesus himself knocking, in the disguise of the poor. On Helping Families With Small Babies When Rafael called and then came to Casa Juan Diego, we knew we had to respond, at least help a little. He asked for help to hire someone to… continue reading
