By Becky Lambert
And life once again returns to Dan Corcoran House! Thanks to the hard work and dedication of so many people and all of the answered prayers, we were able to reopen our family house at the beginning of January. We are incredibly grateful to all of our friends who have helped in this process over these last eight months. That time was spent not only fixing and repairing Dan Corcoran House, but also growing and renewing our own community. Like so much else in the Catholic Worker, the date of reopening the house was left up to Providence. With John joining the community in September and both of us moving into the family house, we were able to use those four months to make real connections with the house, the wider Winona community, and each other.
The opening of the house brings with it all the joys of a renewed friendship. Once again we are able to see our cooks every week and catch up on all the news and happenings in one another’s lives. The enthusiasm to restart their monthly or weekly commitment reflects the importance of the Catholic Worker in so many people’s lives. For John and me, it is a chance to meet the wonderful people that have been connected with our community for so many years and develop our own relationships with them.
We have also added new cooks to the schedule, friends who have answered our call for volunteers (but don’t worry, there are still many nights that cooks and volunteers are needed). There is hardly a day that goes by that we don’t get a visitor stopping by to do some laundry, drop off a food donation, or just chat (or, in Louie’s case, bring donuts and sit and eat them with whoever is lucky enough to be around). I still can’t get over the peaceful feeling that spreads from my heart when I reflect on how wonderful it is to have Dan Corcoran open again.
The return of overnight hospitality in Dan Corcoran brings with it the return of children to the house. We have been truly blessed to have had a young boy stay with us who is so imbued with life and energy that it was hard not to have some of the energy rub off on me. Not only has it been life affirming to have children in the house again but it has also been a joy and a wonder to be able to see my housemate live and interact with children. His patience and kindness with and toward them has been a great calming influence throughout the house, and his ability to match their energy is something to marvel at. Starting our days off with prayer has never seemed so important. Our quiet meditation in the morning as a community helps us to bring perspective to our often hectic and energy-filled days.
With kids now at Dan Corcoran, much of our attention is focused on hospitality, but we are still working on projects around both houses. I am continually delighted by the many different experiences that fill the days here. Bethany House has just had its attic windows replaced and its kitchen and dining rooms repainted. The prayer room has also gotten a new coat of paint as it waits to be completely gutted and re-roofed in the spring. We all feel so blessed that our days are spent in our homes and communities doing the work that we love, with people that we care about.
Bethany House is still open Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 for hospitality, with dinner at 6 pm. During this transition time, though, overnight hospitality has been put on hold. Dinner at Bethany looks different everyday; with more families coming consistently to meals it has expanded our table and our hearts. All are welcome for dinner. Dan Corcoran, as a family house, has dinner every night at 6 pm but does not have an open hospitality time. If you would like to help with meals at the Dan Corcoran House, please give us a call or stop by.
So thank you again and again to all of you who have helped bring life back to this house.