What is the Catholic Worker Movement?
The Catholic Worker Movement is a social justice movement founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in New York City in 1933. The movement promotes nonviolence, voluntary poverty, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and forsaken. Today, the Catholic Worker Movement has over 200 communities worldwide.
A local example
One of those communities is the St. Louis Catholic Worker in St. Louis, Missouri. The community has been providing services to the homeless and marginalized in St. Louis for over 40 years.
The St. Louis Catholic Worker operates a house of hospitality. They offer free meals, shelter, and support to those in need. The community also provides a free medical clinic, a clothing distribution program, and a program to provide bikes to those in need.
The St. Louis Catholic Worker is a part of the larger Catholic Worker Movement, which emphasizes the importance of living out the gospel message of peace and love for all people. This community, like others in the movement, is committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, and hospitality.
The St. Louis Catholic Worker helps with many social justice issues. The community has been active in opposing war and nuclear weapons, supporting immigrants and refugees, and advocating for the rights of the homeless and marginalized.
In addition to its work in St. Louis, the community also organizes retreats and conferences on peace and social justice issues. These events bring together people from all over the country to learn about and discuss important issues.
An even more local example
Not too far from where I live is the St. Francis House. 716 years ago when I was in college, I volunteered there not really knowing what it was. This was still when I thought Dorothy Day was a Hollywood actress (#DorisDay). I thought it was a cool old house where some very dedicated people helped the poor. This isn’t false but I had no idea of the larger movement they were supporting.
I only volunteered there once a week for a semester but it was so unique and the experience has stuck with me over the years. Some of my memories have rounded off corners now but I still recall the personalities.
Personalities
There was a nun (ex-nun?) who I met one week and then next time I came she was off protesting nuclear weapons somewhere. I felt like she did that a lot and was no stranger to a jail cell.
There were two gentlemen with schizophrenia. I don’t recall their names, just their presence mostly. One would walk around the downtown area constantly. I must have seen him a hundred times walking here and there for the better part of a decade. Sadly, he passed away a few years ago and even though he never said a word to me, I felt a sadness when I read about it. He would be at the house sometimes and in some ways was both there and not, it seemed to me.
The other gentleman was a little older. I think he mainly hung around the house. I would say “hi” to him and he would sometimes acknowledge my presence with a grunt or a glance. Sometimes not. He, too, sadly passed away not that long ago and when I read about it so many years later, it was strange how it struck me even though I only saw him maybe four or five times.
Other interesting folk
There was another gentleman who I always saw dressed in black tactical gear. He wore a black military style cap with a small metal cross pinned in the middle of the cap. He would often engage me, unsolicited, in discussions about Christianity and evangelization. There was a lengthy, mostly one sided, conversation at the kitchen table one afternoon. I politely listened and provided confirmation of participation with some “uh huhs” and “OKs” from time to time. At that time, I was an educated college student who was more interested in Bakunin than the Bible. He would tell me that it was up to my generation to spread the good news of the Gospel. I thought he was full of bullcrap at the time but, in retrospect, he was right. I hope he is well.
There were two individuals who oversaw the house at the time and I was deeply impressed by how much of themselves and their space they provided. There were some “regulars” each time but their were some new faces each week too. Occasionally, there were some “interesting” visitors and the police had to be summoned.
Still, they have kept up the good work for many years now and always somehow manage to keep the lights on. There were many that would just fall through the cracks if it weren’t for them.
The Catholic Worker paper
The Catholic Worker movement produces a paper called, aptly, The Catholic Worker.
They publish seven times a year and each edition still costs only 1 cent or 25 cents for an annual subscription. I don’t believe they have a website so you have to send them a check in the mail. At least that is what I did.
It is a great publication and I would encourage you to check it out. It typically has several articles and original artwork, usually woodcuts or linocuts.
Send your subscription request along with the fee (send them more than 25 cents, you cheapskate) to:
The Catholic Worker, 36 East First Street, New York, NY 10003.
Back to a slightly less local example
Not far from the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, there is a Catholic Worker Movement farm called, White Rose Catholic Worker farm.
Like many Catholic Worker Movement related groups, there isn’t a large online presence. From what I can glean, the community is based on the principles of nonviolence, voluntary poverty, and service to the poor.
The farm provides a space for people to live simply and work together to grow their own food, care for animals, and live in harmony with the natural world.
The community participates in various social justice activities, such as advocating for immigrant rights, opposing war and nuclear weapons, and supporting local farmers.
They dedicate themselves to integral nonviolence (meaning to self, others, earth, institutions, etc.) including caring for those in need, striving towards electricity & petroleum free living, gift economy, communal living, simplicity, etc.
The White Rose Catholic Worker Farm embodies a deep commitment to faith, social justice, and environmental sustainability, and serves as an inspiring example of a community dedicated to living out these values in practical and meaningful ways.
I hope to visit there someday!
Political stuff
Now, I fall into the camp of what are called the more traditionally minded Catholics. However, I’ve always been drawn to the efforts of the Catholic Worker Movement. I think it’s because they put their money ( or lack thereof) where their mouth is with regard to the poor and marginalized.
The Catholic Worker Movement, per some (OK, many) opinions, falls in the more liberal camp. It is no secret that Dorothy Day was actively involved in the Socialist movement and became a member of the International Workers of the World (IWW) movement. This certainly shaped her thought.
The Catholic Worker Movement is often associated with socialist principles due to its emphasis on economic equality and opposition to capitalism. The movement advocates for the abolition of the wage system and the establishment of a society based on communal ownership and distribution of resources.
The Catholic Worker newspaper, a central publication of the movement, has consistently championed socialist causes such as workers’ rights, labor unions, and cooperative ownership.
Additionally, the movement’s commitment to pacifism and nonviolence aligns with socialist principles of anti-war and anti-imperialism.
Although the Catholic Worker Movement is rooted in Catholic social teaching, it has often been criticized by conservative Catholic leaders for its perceived socialist leanings.
If this is the kind of thing that causes your head to spin, it’s best just to stay away (or is it?). I get it. However, in my experience at the St. Francis House, they are some of the most generous and self-sacrificing souls I’ve encountered and that says something.
Learn more
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
The Catholic Worker Movement valued print so there are a lot of materials to read.
Dorothy Day wrote several good books herself. I would recommend:
Find Peter Maurin’s Easy Essays here.
Read more about the movement here.
I know the Catholic Worker Movement is not every Catholic’s cup of tea but I still think it behooves everyone to just read and explore what it offers.
Learning about the Catholic Worker Movement can be a valuable experience.
This movement, which began in the early 20th century, advocates for peace, social justice, and solidarity with the poor and marginalized. This is a challenge.
By studying the principles and practices of the Catholic Worker Movement, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing society and develop a more compassionate and empathetic outlook on the world. Whether you are interested in history, social justice, or Catholic theology, the Catholic Worker Movement offers a rich and thought-provoking subject for further exploration.