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, FOUNDER OF CASA JUAN DIEGO DIES AT 88
November 18, 2016 by
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
Urgent Needs
November 18, 2016 by
At Casa Juan Diego we are in immediate need of new hooded sweatshirts for men to give as Christmas presents.
Mark Zwick, Founder of Casa Juan Diego, is On Hospice
November 12, 2016 by
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
Why Are We Called Catholic Worker? On the Origins of the Catholic Worker Movement
November 11, 2016 by
The Houston Catholic Worker is rejected by some because of its name. Some reject it because of the word “Catholic.” Others because of the word “Worker”. Others say they would never pick up a paper with such a name. The word “Houston” is not a problem: the paper is written for the people of Texas… continue reading
Stepping Out Of the Boat At Casa Juan Diego
November 11, 2016 by
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
Communion: A New Easy Essay
November 6, 2016 by
1. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us in teaching 1397 that the Eucharist commits us to the poor. 2. Dorothy quoted Fr. Lacouture: “If we cannot see Jesus in the poor man, we surely cannot see Him under the poverty-stricken veils of bread.” 3. In both the Mass and in sharing a meal with a poor… continue reading
Sick and Injured Immigrants Share Their Stories
August 5, 2016 by
Visiting With the Sick and Injured When people come to Casa Juan Diego for help, we hear many tragic stories, but see the beauty of families helping each other. When the sick or injured come for help, if there is family, or if they are able to live alone, we help them directly. We address the… continue reading
Called to Be Saints: John Hugo, the Catholic Worker, and a Theology of Radical Christianity
July 22, 2016 by
Benjamin T. Peters. Called to Be Saints: John Hugo, the Catholic Worker, and a Theology of Radical Christianity. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press, 2016, 586 p. Reviewed by Mark and Louise Zwick In this landmark study of Fr. John Hugo and the retreat that had a profound influence on Dorothy Day, Benjamin Peters argues that Hugo’s… continue reading
Daniel Berrigan, SJ: Our Only Weapon Is Love
July 15, 2016 by
The recent death of Father Daniel Berrigan, S.J., the famous anti-war priest, reminded me of a retreat he gave in Houston well over twenty years ago. I was a brand new Catholic convert, a pacifist and a Dorothy Day admirer, full of eagerness to serve and sacrifice. Here was a priest, heavily influenced by the… continue reading
