Q.: Are you in favor of immigration? A.: Absolutely not! We oppose undocumented immigration because it destroys families, separates parents and children and ruins marriages. Q.: That doesn’t sound like someone who has had over 30,000 immigrants pass through their doors, does it? A.: We pick up the pieces, as it were. After people are… continue reading
Casa Don Bosco Serves Immigrant Teens
John Bosco was born August 16, 1815. From as early as nine years of age he had a sense of his vocation: to be a friend to youth and to emanate the Love of Christ such that many young people would want to receive this gracious Love. Through many trials of misunderstanding and political jealousies,… continue reading
Who Are These Terrible Immigrants?
It was mind boggling. We were sitting in this beautiful dining room meeting one gracious woman after another, all bright blue-eyed and all asking about our work. Sister Loyola Hegerty, former Mother Superior, made a point of introducing us to all these Sisters of Charity and bragging on us, how we have served thousands of… continue reading
Reflections of a Guilty Bystander
Justin Vorbach was a teacher in Seattle for two years before coming to live at Casa Juan Diego as a Catholic Worker. I came to work at Casa Juan Diego in August. The past six months have been challenging but ultimately very rewarding. One rewarding experience has been studying U.S. history with Jacobo, a sixteen-year-old… continue reading
A Busy Day at Casa Juan Diego
Fr. Edwin Correa, who keeps his promise he made when he was a volunteer seminarian at Casa Juan Diego, to return to celebrate the liturgy each month for refugees, brought a couple with a four-day-old baby and a two-year-old who were living on the street. With Fr. Edwin, no questions are necessary. Wedding of Presbyterian,… continue reading
What Is All This About Band-Aids?
Q.: What is “band-aid” work? A.: It is a word invented by those who believe we shouldn’t help poor people with things, but focus on the structures that cause their poverty. Giving them things is “band-aid work.” To those who believe this, the only real help is changing structures. Mother Teresa does not appeal to them…. continue reading
The Beauty of the House of God
Christy is a Catholic Worker and graduate of the Univerity of Wisconsin at Eau Claire. Last week a seven-year-old boy staying with his battered mother and younger sister asked me something which I will never forget. He asked me, “Is this the house of God?” It wasn’t the first time I had heard Casa Juan Diego referred to in… continue reading
Why Volunteer?
The stories of the men are incredible. They must endure so much suffering just to arrive at our door, beaten down and flat broke. Many have problems eating, because they haven’t eaten for days, and their digestive systems are out of whack. Others come with scratches and cuts from the cactus that they accidently dove into when they heard… continue reading
“Embarrassed by the Article in the Houston Chronicle?” and Other Questions
It happened this way. Sue David, Catholic Worker, left us a note saying Lori Rodriguez of the Houston Chronicle was coming in the morning to talk about Barbara Jordan’s new recommendations on getting control of our borders. We knew Barbara’s recommendations and while we were uncomfortable with them, we were still reeling from the devastating articles of Proposition 187… continue reading
Welcoming the Lord in Disguise – Life as a Catholic Worker
As I sit here and reflect over the past year that I have spent at Casa Juan Diego, the words of Scripture come to my mind: “And there was no room for them in the inn.” How often we receive calls from the various women’s shelters: “Can you possibly take a mother and her three children… continue reading