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
Hospitality at Casa Juan Diego
In November 2017, after having completed two years in Honduras as a volunteer at “The Farm of the Child” (a Catholic home for children), I was encouraged to come to Casa Juan Diego. Louise Zwick opened the door for me and presently I am very privileged to live at, and be a part of, this… continue reading
Oscar Romero: God’s Glory in the Poor – and In the 36 New Men at Casa Juan Diego
Oscar Romero’s Theological Vision: Liberation and Transfiguration of the Poor, by Edgardo Colón-Emeric. Notre Dame University Press, 2018. Reviewed by Louise Zwick As we recently received thirty-six Central American men as guests in our house in one day,not only paying for their travel to get here, feeding them, acquiring extra mattresses, providing hospitality bags, answering… continue reading
When the Doorbell Rings at Casa Juan Diego
We know that when our doorbell rings, it may very well be Jesus himself knocking, in the disguise of the poor. On Helping Families With Small Babies When Rafael called and then came to Casa Juan Diego, we knew we had to respond, at least help a little. He asked for help to hire someone to… continue reading
We are worried!
We fear that the emphasis in our newspaper on the oppression in El Salvador and Guatemala [and now in Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, and so many other countries] would give the impression that we have a base or foundation other than spiritual. We want you to know that we… continue reading
The Shutdown is Affecting People at Casa Juan Diego
The Works of Mercy in the Catholic Worker movement have always included providing food for the hungry. At Casa Juan Diego we welcome anyone in need at our food distribution each Tuesday morning from 6:30 to 9:00 a.m. and on Thursday afternoons when we distribute food at Holy Ghost Church through our Casa Maria. Several… continue reading
Christmas Letter 2018
Dear Friends of Casa Juan Diego, How we long for the Peace of Bethlehem and the good old days. But there is no peace, but rather, scandals, terror, and xenophobia. However, the followers of the Nazarene have nowhere else to go “To whom shall we go, Lord!” – except Bethlehem to gain the Peace the… continue reading
Our days at Casa Juan Diego are filled with joys, but also sorrows and challenges: Meeting Jesus in the Poor and the Privileged
When Hurricane Florence was bearing down on the Carolinas and the East Coast, it had not occurred to us that it would affect immigrant travel. When we received a call that immigrant families who had been released from Immigration were trapped in Houston because no buses were running to the East Coast, Catholic Workers here… continue reading
Notre Dame Student Accompanies the Poor
Liam, a student at the University of Notre Dame.spent eight weeks at Casa Juan Diego this summer. During my time at the men’s house of Casa Juan Diego, my family and friends often asked me to describe what I was doing or how I was feeling. This was one of the most difficult things to… continue reading
All Are Invited: Mass in Honor of Mark Zwick
Special Mass on November 7, 2018, to name the Casa Juan Diego men’s House of Hospitality, Casa Don Marcos in honor of Mark Zwick, founder of Casa Juan Diego. In 1980, Mark founded Casa Juan Diego, a Catholic Worker House of Hospitality where thousands of refugees escaping to Houston during the civil wars in Central… continue reading