Overwhelming numbers of migrants and refugees have been arriving at our doors—again. Several weeks before May 11, 2023, the date when thousands were expected at the border each day, more and more people have already been walking up to Casa Juan Diego asking for refuge. We were already at capacity. We are over capacity. More… continue reading
Our Needs at Casa Juan Diego – How you can help
April 1, 2023 by
Updated on May 9, 2023 Many more guests have been arriving at Casa Juan Diego. Day volunteers would be very helpful. If you are able to come for a day or half a day, please let us know. We need help with driving guests to appointments for health clinics or to drive people to the… continue reading
Veronica’s Veil – Working Amidst Impossible Situations at the Houston Catholic Worker
March 10, 2023 by
Marjorie began as a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego this past summer after her graduation from Saint Francis University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Catholic tradition, there is a saint named Veronica who, as the story goes, was so overcome by the sight of Jesus carrying his cross on the road to be crucified that… continue reading
The Visitor: Recognizing Jesus in Disguise at the parish
March 10, 2023 by
One Sunday in July, at my parish church, a homeless man sat on a bench outside. Just before Mass started, he walked in to attend. Then, after Mass, he stood under an awning where his fellow congregants greeted one another. He was ignored. Yet everywhere this man sat or stood, Christ was present in his… continue reading
Through Hell to Hope: Migrants Trying to Reach the USA
February 28, 2023 by
On September 23, 2022, my husband, my daughter and I decided to undertake a journey for a better future, for a better quality of life. We are from Venezuela, but had been living in Peru. Everything was going well when we started out in Peru, then Ecuador. Our nightmare began in Colombia. We entered into… continue reading
Our Guadalupe Truck Disappeared
February 17, 2023 by
In 2001, Casa Juan Diego made an investment in a new truck. A Ford F550, this was a large truck. It could seat six and had a 12-foot cargo box. It was a big investment for us. On Friday, January 6th, 2023 we noticed it was missing. It was last seen on Wednesday that week…. continue reading
On Pilgrimage and the Three Magi
February 5, 2023 by
“So now tomorrow I start off again ‘on pilgrimage,’ for we have here no abiding city.” [Dorothy Day, On Pilgrimage, Eerdmans] Over many decades, Dorothy Day’s column in The Catholic Worker was entitled “On Pilgrimage.” It seems that she viewed her whole life as a pilgrimage. In her columns and in her book, On Pilgrimage,… continue reading
Poco a Poco: A Catholic Worker Reflects on Life at Casa Juan Diego
December 3, 2022 by
It is the season of giving and receiving. Some would say it’s the best time of the year. The days sandwiched between late November and Christmas are a special time hopefully spent with the ones we love. This is one of my favorite times of the year, and I think we can all agree that… continue reading
Casa Juan Diego and the Healing of Trauma
November 26, 2022 by
Seven months ago, I was attacked and robbed by two carjackers. They had a gun, and one of them grabbed me from behind. You cannot predict what you will do in a fight or flight situation like this, but apparently, I fight. I managed to get away with only minor physical injuries, but the loss… continue reading
There’s Water on the Floor Again at Casa Juan Diego
October 12, 2022 by
We celebrated our 40th anniversary a couple years ago. Some of our buildings should already have received a letter from the Queen, were they British, given their age. Our main building, constructed of steel and concrete due to prior fires, opened in 1987, so it is now 35 years old. In Houston, the clay… continue reading
