Iowa City Catholic Worker Retires Mortgage Debt 26 Years Early

Iowa City, Iowa --

Iowa City Catholic Workers announced July 26 that they have finished paying off their 30-year, $210,000 mortgage, barely four years after taking out a loan to buy the community's first house of hospitality at 1414 Sycamore Street.

Catholic Worker advisory committee member Maureen Vasile released the following statement on behalf of the intentional religious community:

"Thanks be to God, we are pleased to announce that our first house of hospitality is completely paid for. This is a testament to the importance of our ministry to serve poor, homeless, immigrant, and refugee workers, and our strong base of friends, workers, volunteers, donors, and supporters. Our next goal is to raise $150,000 by the end of the year, so we can finish renovating our first house and pay for a down payment on a second house of hospitality. With a second house, we can double our Works of Mercy commitment to the community."

Iowa City Catholic Workers say they will now begin the search for a suitable property to purchase and run as a second house of hospitality.