Mark’s surgery last spring was an inspiration to us in faith and a sense of God’s providence. We had hesitated for some time to proceed with an operation that he needed, but it was recommended. We worried about Mark’s heart, because it often beats very strongly, even shaking the bed. It flutters enough to get… continue reading
“For the Worker Is Worthy Of His Hire”: Reflections On Day Laborers
February 18, 2012 by
Biblical scholars have suggested that the day laborers of Jesus’ time were at the very bottom of the working ladder. Even slaves were better off, in the sense that they had someone to protect them – they had value as the owner’s investment. I knew before I came to Casa Juan Diego that the day… continue reading
We Were Surprised by Much Work and Harrassment By Inspectors
February 9, 2012 by
We started Casa Juan Diego because we wanted to help the poor, to receive the refugees and immigrants who were arriving in Houston to escape cruel wars. They were sleeping in used car lots along Washington Avenue. We responded to pregnant immigrant women, battered immigrant women and their children and to fathers of families trying… continue reading
Works of Mercy: Casa Juan Diego Volunteers Help Paralyzed Immigrants
April 1, 2011 by
A neighbor brought Carmen (not her real name) to Casa Juan Diego. She was distraught. Her husband had had an aneuyrism and had spent two months in the hospital. They are from Guatemala and have no family here to help them. Carmen hoped that she could place her husband somewhere and that she could go… continue reading
Prayer Sustains the Works of Mercy at a Catholic Worker House of Hospitality
February 1, 2011 by
People often ask what exactly it is that we do at Casa Juan Diego, and it’s easy to begin by listing off the activities that fill our days. We tend to the needs of the men, women, and children living in our Houses of Hospitality, we distribute food to the community, we receive and organize… continue reading
The Blessings of Saint Juan Diego at Casa Juan Diego
February 1, 2010 by
Jennifer is a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego, a recent graduate from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. On December 9 th , the feast day of Saint Juan Diego, the staff of Casa Juan Diego was given numerous opportunities to see Christ in the poor and to grow in the virtues of… continue reading
Wounded Healers
October 1, 2009 by
Early this summer when Mark had surgery on his ear for skin cancer, he was told he must strictly limit his physical activities for two weeks. He had to have his ear dressed and bandaged each day, along with a place on his face where skin was removed for a graft on the ear. He… continue reading
Church and State and the New “Serfs”
April 1, 2008 by
We have three men living at Casa Juan Diego’s Houses of Hospitality with such serious injuries that they shuffle instead of walk. We have three men in wheel chairs who don’t walk at all We have three men who have lost a leg and await protheses so they can walk and work. We have three… continue reading
The Man in the Street or A Warning
February 1, 2008 by
Matt, a recent graduate of the University of Dallas, is a Catholic Worker in Houston. My stomach is nice and full of delectable delights as I write this article. I only mention this because the guy digging through the dumpster, who was the motivation for the article, had a decidedly empty stomach. It is always… continue reading
She is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, as Are the Poor, the Immigrants
December 1, 2007 by
An old, old, fairy tale from Russia tells the story of a young boy (or sometimes told from the point of view of a young girl) who was lost. He couldn’t find his mother. Villagers who wanted to help asked the child, “What does your mother look like?” Tell us, so that we can help… continue reading
