06'from Erin Curry

On to the interesting things.

I am a Catholic Worker, and you seemed to know a little bit about what that means (voluntary poverty, personalism, monasticism, hospitality, pacifism). Casa Juan Diego, which is the name of the house, is a place for immigrants. I live in a shelter (although we prefer to call it a house of hospitality), which is a two-story, square, brick building, very simple, usually not very clean, and always FULL of life. Right now there are 9 women and 15 children. A lot of the women are battered; victims of domestic violence are a big chunk of our population. The women tend to be undocumented (aka ILLEGAL - quick, build a wall!), scared, depressed, crazy, funny, loving, loud, disrespectful, grateful (or not) and in need of every kind of service you can think of. I am a case manager in that regard. I am also a mediator (which I've learned is also a profession), an interpreter (in court, in the store, at the passport office, in doctor's appointments - you name it), a translator, and I run a part-time, volunteer medical clinic. I'm not sure what a medical assistant does, but I'm close to positive that I do it. I am also a chauffer, and I drive around the great city of Houston often.

I could list many other things I do also, more mundane things, like organize donations, balance checkbooks, answer a phone and a door, cook, clean (I usually get stuck doing the really nasty stuff), and babysit. We have a food distribution once a week on Tuesday mornings, early. Today I scooped rice. At the bottom the rice had gotten wet and formed into dark, moldy masses.

I also am very familiar with weevils, cockroaches, grain worms, moths, and larvae.

We say morning prayer. I sing at the mass we have in Spanish every Wednesday night in the men's house. We have been reading the Pope's new book, Jesus of Nazareth. Mark and Louise Zwick are very familiar with Communio theology, and have written for a publication put out by David Schindler, who I'm told runs the JPII institute. We talk about those kinds of things a lot. I'm certainly getting another philosophical/theological education here.

I could tell you so many things, but I know you are still a busy man, busier than I am.

So, like many of your homilies, this email has 3 objectives -

1. I really need to know if I need a yellow fever vaccination or not

2. I wanted to tell you this stuff, let you know I care that you know about me, and that I blame some of my desire to serve God's people on you, and

3. We are in need of volunteers. I know there are kids coming to you, looking for things to do after school. Tell them about this. They should have a semi-solid base in Spanish, and the ability to produce 3 recommendation letters.

I am a missionary. I did not leave the country; I did not make a 2 or 3 year committment. I have a community, a beautiful community. At least tell them to contact me.

Erin Curry 06

(Sorry for the OLD Picture !!!)