Update Phone calls before 6 am are not so unusual for Casa Juan Diego, but it isn’t usually the police calling. The Baytown, Texas, night shift was calling to let us know that we could pick up our stolen truck from the impound yard. It had been reported as abandoned in a local bank parking… 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
Christmas Letter 2022
December 12, 2022 by
The Spirit of Christmas is very important to Casa Juan Diego. We cannot survive without it. We ask your prayers that the Spirit of Christmas be with us—that there will be “Room in the Inn.” We remember with the birth of Jesus our shared heritage with the Jewish community. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was… 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
From Casa Juan Diego to the University of Texas
August 9, 2022 by
Gabby was a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego during the past months. She graduated from the University of Houston Downtown this May and will soon begin studies for her master’s degree in social work at the University of Texas. My philosophy in this world is to maintain hope, in spite of the darkest hours… continue reading
Pro-life After Dobbs – God Will Say, Where Are the Others?
August 5, 2022 by
Prolife After Dobbs – Who Will Care for the Mothers and Babies? The joy of many after the Supreme Court ruling to leave abortion decisions to the states should spark a big response among Catholics to respond to many more pregnant women who will be in need. Prolife groups who give baby furniture, diapers,… continue reading
A Celebration of Juan Diego at Casa Juan Diego Houston
June 5, 2022 by
We were inspired by a sermon on St. Patrick’s Day this year at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (online at 6 a.m. on weekdays) as the celebrant of the Mass reminded us of how the patron saint of a place looks out for the people of that parish or other place named for the saint, from heaven…. continue reading
Thanksgiving Letter
February 2, 2022 by
No government agency guarantees the future of Casa Juan Diego, but it continues to survive, thanks to you all. We have received so much. Of course, the generosity is not meant for us (we are not paid), but for the many hundreds of women, men, and children who stay at Casa Juan Diego, for the… continue reading
