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
January 25, 2019 by
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
December 5, 2018 by
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
November 20, 2018 by
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
November 10, 2018 by
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
October 20, 2018 by
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
Children Detained: Immigration and Jesus’ Story of the Rich Man and the Beggar
June 22, 2018 by
Those of us who work closely with immigrants, who share our lives with them at Casa Juan Diego, have had to come to terms with the increasingly cruel and aggressive policies of our government towards our guests. We have gotten accustomed to it, to be honest. I am not sure this is entirely a good… continue reading
Traumatized Migrants Find Healing at Casa Juan Diego
May 28, 2018 by
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” the opening words of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities,describes nicely our recent experiences at Casa Juan Diego. Hurricane Harvey, with the heaviest rainfall in the recorded history of this country, would seem to qualify as the worst of times, except… continue reading
How Mark Zwick Met Dorothy Day and the Seeds Were Planted For the Houston Catholic Worker/Casa Juan Diego
May 20, 2018 by
Mark visited Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker on several occasions. One visit was with his mother Florence to Peter Maurin Farm on Staten Island in 1956, when they spent the better part of a day with Dorothy. Mark sometimes accompanied his mother to New York when she went on buying trips for her family department store… continue reading
The Sorrow and Beauty of Goodbye at Casa Juan Diego, the Houston Catholic Worker
March 19, 2018 by
More often than we’d like, we have to say goodbye. The work of housing people on their journey has taught me that. But the pain of parting has taught me about the importance of it too. Our houses of hospitality are temporary; they are not meant to be a permanent home. Therefore, inherent to the… continue reading
