During the first 20+ years of the Houston Catholic Workernewspaper, we regularly ran a column entitled “The Pilgrimage Continues in Houston.” Written by Mark Zwick or by Mark and Louise Zwick together, it was inspired by Dorothy Day’s famous column “On Pilgrimage” and it offered a glimpse of life at Casa Juan Diego. In it,… continue reading
Mark Zwick’s Acts of Faith: Shelter From the Storm
October 20, 2017 by
Reprinted with permission from the Houston Press, January 3, 1991 Photography by Janice Rubin Thursday morning, Casa Juan Diego looks like a border Welcome Wagon. Nearly 100 Hispanic women crowd inside the front doors, toting young children. Their dress is shabby, but their faces are bright and smiling. The din of staccato, Spanish-speaking voices… continue reading
Beatification of Oscar Romero: Cause of Great Joy and Examination of Conscience
June 1, 2015 by
We are rejoicing and the world is rejoicing because of the beatification of Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of San Salvador who was assassinated while celebrating Mass in 1980. We pray that the world will now be better able to hear his voice. Pope Francis declared Archbishop Romero a martyr for the faith. He is also… continue reading
From a Middle-Class Lifestyle to Voluntary Poverty and a Dramatic Experience in El Salvador
August 29, 2013 by
On Our Way We had it all. Or, we had the usual for middle-class people: four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two babies, two cars, two bank accounts and a good salary. People respected us at the city gates as the Bible says. What would be next? A cottage on the lake, a boat- a large one,… continue reading
An American Family’s Journey: Experience of the Church in El Salvador in 1977
July 27, 2013 by
We arrived in San Salvador on January 27th. The house we were to rent for $50.00 a month was located in a marginated area near the river and the dump. It had running water and electricity and was to be shared with a Salvadoran family. The only problem was the dust. It poured in constantly,… continue reading
The Pilgrimage Continues in Houston in 1981
July 17, 2013 by
Dorothy Day has died. However, her spirit is alive and well; its presence was recently felt in Houston. The Houston Catholic Worker has opened its doors. Her work goes on, maybe not in the perfect spirit of the New York Catholic Worker, but hopefully in the same spirit. She no longer writes her column, “On… continue reading
Casa Juan Diego, New Catholic Worker House, Opens to Serve the Poor
June 16, 2013 by
Casa Juan Diego is the result of allowing ourselves to dream. The vision of a Catholic Worker house on Washington Avenue in Houston established to serve the poor and Spanish speaking first came to us in 1979 while working in St. Theresa’s social service office. We had been readers of Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker paper… continue reading
Compelling Story of Casa Juan Diego
February 1, 2011 by
Book Review Mercy Without Borders: The Catholic Worker and Immigration. Paulist Press, 2010. Few former Ohioans, if any, have done more for the poor and the immigrant than Mark and Louise Zwick, who created Casa Juan Diego in Houston to help the thousands upon thousands of immigrants and refugees who have come from Latin America… continue reading
