As his health declined, Mark Zwick was no longer able to walk the short distance to visit all the Catholic Worker houses that he and his wife, Louise founded. It was important to him that he still be connected to the work, however, so for a time he was driven by car and later pushed… continue reading

Dear Friends of Casa Juan Diego, Casa Juan Diego exists because Christmas exists. Without people who celebrate Christmas each year – and some each month – Casa Juan Diego would be incapable of so many Works of Mercy. Works of Mercy Our biggest works of mercy remain hospitality and care for the sick and injured…. continue reading

Mark Zwick, who 36 years ago turned a tumble-down building on Washington Avenue into a thriving international refuge for immigrants and refugees, died Friday, November 18, 2016, at his home in Houston after battling Parkinson’s Disease. He was 88. In 1980, Mark and his wife Louise founded Casa Juan Diego, a Catholic Worker House of… continue reading

Update: November 18, 2016 Mark passed away this morning peacefully at home. Information about his life and the funeral services will be available in a  separate post. Update: November 12, 2016 Mark continues to rest at his home, but is in decline. We will be updating this page with information on services. Update: November 2, 2016… continue reading

Joanna was a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego last year. She has recently joined the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. My time as an active Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego drew to a close in the middle of May, and I had a speech to prepare. It’s a… continue reading

Joanna, a graduate of Wyoming Catholic College, is a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego. I came to Casa Juan Diego some months ago, and as I made the long drive from home down to Houston, Texas, I began to wonder more and more as the wheels of the car brought me closer and closer… continue reading

Shannon McPherson came to join in the work of Casa Juan Diego from the Bruderhof Community There’s one character in the Christmas story who really dropped the ball. The inn keeper of Bethlehem had this incredible opportunity to show hospitality to the baby son of God, and he shut the door on him. I, however,… continue reading

Recently, a prominent theologian from a seminary was visiting us. When the issue of how we raise money for Casa Juan Diego came up, a Catholic Worker blurted out, “We pray a lot.” “Give me a copy of those prayers. I demand a copy of those prayers,” the theologian humorously insisted. Unfortunately, there is no… continue reading

    Dear Friends of Casa Juan Diego, Many thanks for allowing us to remain open for another year. We are grateful. We keep hearing that you can tell a good Catholic by the way they love the poor (or a good Presbyterian or a good Jewish person). The “goods” keep us going. But it… continue reading