Welcome to Mary House

The nonprofit Mary House is a small, ecumenical Christian community in the South of Austin,Texas, that offers free, medically supportive housing to homeless adults with critical or terminal illness while doing other spiritual and corporate works of mercy.

Affiliated with the international Catholic Worker Movement founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, Mary House feeds the hungry, gives drink to the thirsty, clothes the naked, welcomes the stranger, visits the prisoner and comforts the sick (read Matthew 25).

House Eucharist

The Gospel of Jesus – particularly the Beatitudes and Matthew 25 – is the primary inspiration and mandate. The writings of Day and Maurin, and particularly, Catholic Social Teaching, guide the day-to-day activities.

Twelve parishes and several Austin area persons support the ministry of Mary House. More support – financially and through volunteer work – is always needed.

Mary House was founded in 1991 and Lynn Goodman-Strauss has been its resident director since then. Contact Lynn at 447.0963 or by email – theegglady@sbcglobal.net.

Mary House is at 711-B King Edward Place. Its Austin zip code is 78745. Traveling south on South First, King Edward Place is on your right immediately before the corner of South First and William Cannon Drive.

There are 189 Catholic Worker houses throughout the world – 168 in 37 U.S. states (nine in Texas) and 21 in the rest of the world.

The website – www.catholicworker.org – contains extensive biographies of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, in addition to many of their writings and selected videos.

Donations of food for house meals always welcome

Lynn Goodman-Strauss

House Parrot Dorothy Day

Recent News at Mary House

Mary House Alive with the Sound of Music

Symphony musicians play house concert

Two symphony musicians filled Mary House with classic and contemporary Christmas music during the evening of December 23.

Texas State University music professors Ian Davidson, oboe, and Doris Hale, bassoon, performed for Mary House residents as a pre-Christmas eve present to the Catholic Worker family. Each brought one of their children – Daryl Hale and Collin Davidson – to chime in with bells at times. Both musicians are members of the Wild Basin Winds in Austin.

Six parishes dropped off presents of food and clothing at Mary House during Advent, said Lynn Goodman-Strauss, Mary House director.

Mary House community celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day

Residents and volunteers of Mary House Catholic Worker celebrated the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a Eucharist and meal on December 12. The Rev. Greg Romanski, long-time Mary House volunteer, presided at the service in Mary House’s community living room.

Guadalupe Eucharist

“Observing the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a highlight of our year,” said Lynn Goodman-Strauss, who lives and works at Mary House.

Cat snuggles on resident's bed

Self portrait of Mary House Family

Mary House backyard awaits spring planting