It was a great shock to us to hear of the death, by heart attack, in Paris of Emmanuel Mounier, at forty five. Mounier was the guiding spirit in the French personalist movement, and founder and director of Esprit, the magazine which is the organ of the movement. Mounier, who was the child of peasants,… continue reading
Emmanuel Mounier and Personalism
March 1, 1995 by
The following are excerpts from the works of Mounier: Principles of a Personalist Civilization A personalist civilization is one whose structure and spirit are directed towards the development as persons of all the individuals constituting it. They have as their ultimate end to enable every individual to live as a person, that is, to exercise… continue reading
We Urge Our Readers to be Personalist
March 1, 1995 by
We are urging our readers to be neither collectivist nor individualist,but personalist. This consciousness of oneself as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ will lead to great things. We are working for the Communitarian revolution to oppose both the rugged individualism of the capitalist era, and the collectivism of the Communist revolution. We… continue reading
Why Volunteer?
March 1, 1995 by
The stories of the men are incredible. They must endure so much suffering just to arrive at our door, beaten down and flat broke. Many have problems eating, because they haven’t eaten for days, and their digestive systems are out of whack. Others come with scratches and cuts from the cactus that they accidently dove into when they heard… continue reading
“Embarrassed by the Article in the Houston Chronicle?” and Other Questions
December 1, 1994 by
It happened this way. Sue David, Catholic Worker, left us a note saying Lori Rodriguez of the Houston Chronicle was coming in the morning to talk about Barbara Jordan’s new recommendations on getting control of our borders. We knew Barbara’s recommendations and while we were uncomfortable with them, we were still reeling from the devastating articles of Proposition 187… continue reading
Welcoming the Lord in Disguise – Life as a Catholic Worker
December 1, 1994 by
As I sit here and reflect over the past year that I have spent at Casa Juan Diego, the words of Scripture come to my mind: “And there was no room for them in the inn.” How often we receive calls from the various women’s shelters: “Can you possibly take a mother and her three children… continue reading
All Souls: The Day of the Dead
November 1, 1994 by
This month when we celebrate the feast of All Souls it is good to write about heaven as well as death. Someone is always putting a book or article in my hands that I need just at that moment, and the other night, when we gathered for Vespers in our office-library-stencil room, Mike Kovalak handed me a little book,… continue reading
THIRD WOLRD DEBT – THE SILENT KILLER
November 1, 1994 by
“The debt crisis is over,” proclaim economic journals and government officials. Unlike a decade ago, when Mexico threw the financial world into a panic by declaring it could not meet its debt payments, the international banking system is no longer in danger of collapse from the possible default of Third World debtors. Small banks have… continue reading
Life at the Houston Catholic Worker
October 1, 1994 by
“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”– 1 Corinthians 13:13 In my two-month stay as a Catholic Worker at Casa Juan Diego, God taught me about faith, hope, and love. The Houston Catholic Worker House ran on faith. The apostle Paul tells us that faith is… continue reading
Transfiguration Spirituality CHRIST DID NOT DIE FOR GOLD
September 1, 1994 by
We write this on August 6. This day is indelibly branded and engraved on our souls. It is the day, August 6, 1945, that our father died (Mark’s father, Herman Sebastian Zwick, died when Mark was a young teenager, leaving a family of twelve children). This changed Mark’s life. It is also the day, August… continue reading
