When Archbishop Vésquez was Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston, he celebrated Mass at Casa Juan Diego for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He is pictured here at that Mass with Fr. Italo Dell’Oro, who is now our Auxiliary Bishop. All of us at Casa Juan Diego add our voices to the many who welcome… continue reading
Catholic Worker Principles and the Precarity of Migrants
I live in two worlds. For the past 16 years, I have been serving immigrant communities at the Houston Catholic Worker, offering the Works of Mercy, both Corporal[1] and Spiritual[2] to all that cross our door. My day job is directing the social work program at a local university. This is a juggling act—the changing… continue reading
The Legacy of Pope Francis
UPDATE MARCH 23, 2025 Pope Francis returned to the Vatican today! Thank God for his recovery. He will still need two months of rest and limited activities. Gracias a Dios! As we write, Pope Francis is very ill in the hospital with double pneumonia. The world is praying for him. We recall that on… continue reading
Needs at Casa Juan Diego
Jeans or slacks for women, sizes 5 – 15 Cooking Oil Lentils Flip Flops for women, children Adult diapers – medium and large Underpads Pillows and twin sheets Jeans for men, size 27-36. Silverware for people setting up an apartment Become a full-time Catholic Worker, Room and board and health insurance provided. Married couples welcome…. continue reading
A Haiku: Reflection After Mass at Casa Juan Diego
Parents gathering Candlelight consolation Tearful Eucharist
Thy Will be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven: Eschatology and Our World Today
When I became a Catholic many years ago, somehow I got the idea that earthly concerns were not very important in the light of eternity. My instruction in the faith did not teach that, but the very idea of the transcendent reality of God and life someday in the beatific vision led my mind to… continue reading
Living Beyond Politics: A Post-Election Reflection On Dorothy Day
Last fall, political pundits of various stripes informed us that the upcoming 2024 election would be the most important one of our lifetimes. Never mind that we have been told this every presidential election year in this century—this time it was really true. Many of us heeded the warning, absorbed ourselves in the promises of… continue reading
Gustavo Gutierrez. R.I.P.
When I arrived at the University of Notre Dame to begin my Ph.D. in Theology, the very first course I took was with the Peruvian father of liberation theology Gustavo Gutiérrez. I knew him by reputation since I had read his groundbreaking first book, A Theology of Liberation, and I was very excited to meet… continue reading
Catholic Workers and Food
The guests living in our Casa Juan Diego Houses of Hospitality, along with the Workers who live and work there, eat the same food, together. Our meals are simple, nourishing, and lovely at times. Feeding and serving food happens all the time at Casa Juan Diego as an act of generosity and love. Food, however,… continue reading
Becoming a People–The Peter Maurin Conference, Chicago, September 6-7, 2024
The Peter Maurin Conference was, from the beginning, a labor of love. A group of 12 gathered over Zoom in early 2023 to discuss plans for a Peter Maurin conference in Chicago. Why Chicago, for a conference dedicated to a man born in France, who became famous in Union Square, and was buried in New… continue reading