As we write, Pope Francis is very ill in the hospital with double pneumonia. The world is praying for him. We recall that on March 13, 2013, when the white smoke emerged to show that the first Latin American pope had been elected, the Catholic Workers at Casa Juan Diego were gathered for our luncheon… continue reading
Needs at Casa Juan Diego
February 24, 2025 by
Jeans or slacks for women, sizes 5 – 15 Cooking Oil Lentils Flip Flops for women, children Adult diapers – medium and large Underpads Pillows and twin sheets Jeans for men, size 27-36. Silverware for people setting up an apartment Become a full-time Catholic Worker, Room and board and health insurance provided. Married couples welcome…. continue reading
A Haiku: Reflection After Mass at Casa Juan Diego
February 16, 2025 by
Parents gathering Candlelight consolation Tearful Eucharist
Thy Will be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven: Eschatology and Our World Today
February 12, 2025 by
When I became a Catholic many years ago, somehow I got the idea that earthly concerns were not very important in the light of eternity. My instruction in the faith did not teach that, but the very idea of the transcendent reality of God and life someday in the beatific vision led my mind to… continue reading
Living Beyond Politics: A Post-Election Reflection On Dorothy Day
February 7, 2025 by
Last fall, political pundits of various stripes informed us that the upcoming 2024 election would be the most important one of our lifetimes. Never mind that we have been told this every presidential election year in this century—this time it was really true. Many of us heeded the warning, absorbed ourselves in the promises of… continue reading
Gustavo Gutierrez. R.I.P.
January 15, 2025 by
When I arrived at the University of Notre Dame to begin my Ph.D. in Theology, the very first course I took was with the Peruvian father of liberation theology Gustavo Gutiérrez. I knew him by reputation since I had read his groundbreaking first book, A Theology of Liberation, and I was very excited to meet… continue reading
Christmas Letter
November 29, 2024 by
Dear Friends of Casa Juan Diego, The joy of Christmas comes as a great gift, breaking into the despair, sadness, and fear of violence that surrounds us and others in many parts of the world. All the hype about Christmas shopping (since July 4) simply cannot drown out the Good News of this Silent Night:… continue reading
The Incarnation: Receiving the Lord in the poor, the stranger, the broken-hearted
November 18, 2024 by
It seems that sometimes we Catholics neglect to mention that the Lord Jesus explicitly told us why he was sent by the Spirit of the Lord, as he quoted the Old Testament prophecy. Recent experiences reminded us. We received a call from a hospital asking if we could accept an 18-year old mother of tiny… continue reading
Catholic Workers and Food
November 2, 2024 by
The guests living in our Casa Juan Diego Houses of Hospitality, along with the Workers who live and work there, eat the same food, together. Our meals are simple, nourishing, and lovely at times. Feeding and serving food happens all the time at Casa Juan Diego as an act of generosity and love. Food, however,… continue reading
Becoming a People–The Peter Maurin Conference, Chicago, September 6-7, 2024
October 27, 2024 by
The Peter Maurin Conference was, from the beginning, a labor of love. A group of 12 gathered over Zoom in early 2023 to discuss plans for a Peter Maurin conference in Chicago. Why Chicago, for a conference dedicated to a man born in France, who became famous in Union Square, and was buried in New… continue reading
