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How to be a Christian in a Non-Christian World: Is there a Lay Theology?

It happened again, and as usual we had become upset and angry. An immigrant just asked us for the upteenth time, “Marcos, usted es un sacerdote y Luisa una monja?” (Mark, are you a priest and Louise a nun?) “No! No!” We say for the upteenth time. “Somos laicos.” We are lay people. And if they insist, we say… continue reading

Mother Deported Without Baby

Sara Rodriguez was deported last Monday to El Salvador without her baby. She, like all women in the Houston area about to be deported, was imprisoned in the Liberty County jail many miles away and without representation. All that was needed for someone to take the child to the Salvadoran Consulate to arrange travel papers and then take… continue reading

Stop the Deportations of Immigrants and Refugees! Catholic Church says Deportation is Serious Sin

Sara and her Baby Sara Rodriguez was deported to El Salvador without her baby. She, like all women in the Houston area about to be deported, was imprisoned in the Liberty County jail many miles away and without representation. All that was needed was for someone to take the child to the Salvadoran Consulate to… continue reading

Why Argue About Fr. Michael J. Baxter and Notre Dame?

The last issue of the Houston Catholic Worker featured several articles in defense of the appointment of Fr. Michael Baxter, C.S.C., a Catholic Worker theologian, to the theology department at the University of Notre Dame and in defense of Notre Dame President, Holy Cross Fr. Edward Malloy, who was denounced by the Faculty Senate for this action. We apologize, especially… continue reading

The Way of the Cross of a Migrant

I. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH Jesus, you are sentenced unjustly by your enemies. I know what you must feel. Many of us have been condemned to a slow death, because of thinking and because of taking our inspiration from the Bible and its message. Our children are already condemned to death because they carry on their… continue reading

Hospitality Empowers Battered Women

Marion Maendel came to the Houston Catholic Worker from the Bruderhof movement. She lives and works in the women’s and children’s house. There is a sentiment presently circulating among social agencies and
 church organizations that hospitality is out of style. Cleverly
 advertised, innovative new counseling programs for abused and homeless women are in. Shelter is… continue reading

Hospitality as Martyrdom

Now we really know why no one likes doing hospitality! Here we are knee-deep in doo doo (pronounced poo poo or ca ca in
 Spanish). Nothing works, nothing flows. “Back up” takes on a new meaning–no
 longer reinforcement, but that which went down came back up. It is not a pleasant sight. “Doc” from Crown… continue reading

Is Dorothy Day’s Laetare Medal in Jeopardy?

If the faculty senate of the University of Notre Dame voted today, it would vote against Dorothy Day and her theology. It is hoped that they won’t posthumously invalidate her medal. Catholic Workers are highly incensed that liberal theologians have the gall to call into question one of America’s greatest women and attempt to marginalize her thought because it… continue reading

A Tragic Journey

I am going to tell you my sad story, the Calvary that I suffered in order to arrive in the UnitedStates of America. It was the Way of the Cross. Everything happened when gangs of delinquents in El Salvador killed my first son, Ignacio, who was 23 years old. It was this painful circumstance that… continue reading

No Federal Funds – What Now?

Yesterday a staff member from the United States Catholic Conference was almost in tears as she lamented the tremendous loss of welfare funds to Catholic agencies and to the poor because of the new anti-immigration bill which eliminates assistance to legal immigrants not yet citizens. “What are we going to do?” she cried. “Where are… continue reading