The Catholic Worker Movement was founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in New York in 1933. In my last post I wrote about the life and influence of Dorothy Day, so I thought it would interest readers to find out a bit more about the Catholic Worker Movement here.
What is it? Let me give a biblical answer, before turning to the history of the movement and it’s philosophy. Read this passage from St Luke’s Gospel, and imagine you are hearing it for the very first time:
But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.
Now, having read that, and been moved and inspired by it, imagine something more: just living it – simply, wholeheartedly, unconditionally, without making excuses or explaining it away. Just doing it, as best you can. And failing. And trying again. And failing again. But never giving up on the basic conviction that this is something to be lived and not just dreamt about; and that if you could live it, and everyone else could live it, what a transformation it would bring about in the world.
That’s the Catholic Worker Movement. I know I’m being idealistic – but that’s the point, isn’t it? To let the ideals crash into the difficult reality of ordinary life, instead of keeping them safe in a separate box?
But let me give two other perspectives. One is just to give the history, here in summary form by Jim Forest:
The Catholic Worker movement was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression by Dorothy Day at the urging of Peter Maurin. It is best known for houses of hospitality located in run-down sections of many cities, though a number of Catholic Worker centers exist in rural areas. Food, clothing, shelter and welcome is extended by unpaid volunteers to those in need according to the ability of each household. In 1995 there were 134 Catholic Worker communities, all but three in the United States.
“Our rule is the works of mercy,” said Dorothy Day. “It is the way of sacrifice, worship, a sense of reverence.”
The Catholic Worker is also the name of a newspaper published by the Catholic Worker community in New York City. From 1933 until her death in 1980, the editor was Dorothy Day, a journalist who was received into the Catholic Church in 1927. Writers for the paper have ranged from young volunteers to such notable figures as Thomas Merton, Daniel Berrigan and Jacques Maritain. (Many Catholic Worker communities publish newsletters or journals chiefly for local distribution.)
Beyond hospitality, Catholic Worker communities are known for activity in support of labor unions, human rights, cooperatives, and the development of a nonviolent culture. Those active in the Catholic Worker are often pacifists people seeking to live an unarmed, nonviolent life. During periods of military conscription, Catholic Workers have been conscientious objectors to miliary service. Many of those active in the Catholic Worker movement have been jailed for acts of protest against racism, unfair labor practices, social injustice and war.
Catholic Worker communities have refused to apply for federal tax exempt status, seeing such official recognition as binding the community to the state and limiting the movement’s freedom.
With its stress on voluntary poverty, the Catholic Worker has much in common with the early Franciscans, while its accent on community, prayer and hospitality has Benedictine overtones.
“We try to shelter the homeless and give them clothes,” Dorothy Day explained, “but there is strong faith at work. We pray. If an outsider who comes to visit us doesn’t pay attention to our prayings and what that means, then he’ll miss the whole point.”
It is unlikely that any religious community was ever less structured than the Catholic Worker. Each community is autonomous. There is no board of directors, no sponsor, no system of governance, no endowment, no pay checks, no pension plans. Since Dorothy Day’s death, there has been no central leader.
And if you are looking for an expression of the contemporary philosophy of the Movement, see their Aims and Means, published in 2008. Here are four practices which are at the heart of the Catholic Worker philosophy:
Nonviolence. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matt. 5:9) Only through nonviolent action can a personalist revolution come about, one in which one evil will not be replaced simply by another. Thus, we oppose the deliberate taking of human life for any reason, and see every oppression as blasphemy. Jesus taught us to take suffering upon ourselves rather than inflict it upon others, and He calls us to fight against violence with the spiritual weapons of prayer, fasting and noncooperation with evil. Refusal to pay taxes for war, to register for conscription, to comply with any unjust legislation; participation in nonviolent strikes and boycotts, protests or vigils; withdrawal of support for dominant systems, corporate funding or usurious practices are all excellent means to establish peace.
The works of mercy (as found in Matt. 25:31-46) are at the heart of the Gospel and they are clear mandates for our response to “the least of our brothers and sisters.” Houses of hospitality are centers for learning to do the acts of love, so that the poor can receive what is, in justice, theirs, the second coat in our closet, the spare room in our home, a place at our table. Anything beyond what we immediately need belongs to those who go without.
Manual labor, in a society that rejects it as undignified and inferior. “Besides inducing cooperation, besides overcoming barriers and establishing the spirit of sister and brotherhood (besides just getting things done), manual labor enables us to use our bodies as well as our hands, our minds.” (Dorothy Day) The Benedictine motto Ora et Labora reminds us that the work of human hands is a gift for the edification of the world and the glory of God.
Voluntary poverty. “The mystery of poverty is that by sharing in it, making ourselves poor in giving to others, we increase our knowledge and belief in love.” (Dorothy Day) By embracing voluntary poverty, that is, by casting our lot freely with those whose impoverishment is not a choice, we would ask for the grace to abandon ourselves to the love of God. It would put us on the path to incarnate the Church’s “preferential option for the poor.”
What do you think? Is this too much? Is it unrealistic?
It isn’t too much or unrealistic.
There have been a few other exmaples, like the Guild of St. Joseph and St. Dominic for artists, and the L’Arche communities. It is good to have groups of laity living the faith in this way. SPES in Soho is another exmaple.
However, how would a married man with a family to support live this life? It seems possible, and easier, for single people.
Is it the sort of life that has stability i.e. are there Catholic worker movements that have been around for a couple of generations, or do members come for a bit then move on?
The Catholic Worker Movement is a truly revolutionary one, reflecting Jesus’ challenges in St Luke’s Gospel. The works described are very much in keeping with the Gospel. For this reason alone, I would expect that the Movement is not looked upon kindly by the many conservatives in the United States Catholic Church who seem very right wing in their political outlook. However, amidst this political backdrop, the Catholic Worker Movement communities stand out as a shining beacon to all.
Further to my earlier comment, I would say that, the damnds placed upon members could be too much and unrealistic, depending upon the individuals religious and political views, their cultural origins, education and ambitions in life. As I hinted in my earlier comment, the life seems to me to be at odds with a right wing capitalistic society bent upon making money, owning property and ‘using’ other people in order to do so. Membership of the Catholic Worker Movement, I would say, requires a special sort of person who is willing and able to forego material things; it is a vocation in just the same way as the Priesthood, membership of a religious order or Marriage is a vocation inasmuch that it requires total giving of one’s self. At the same time, I would say that what one recieves from this ‘giving’ is abundant in a great many ways.
I would have thought that if you try to choose the common good it is a realistic path to follow. I also think this principle is at the heart of Catholic workers trying to live their faith on a daily basis.
I do not think there are many places in England. In NE London there is a soup kitchen/café and a house, and the farm outside London is run by a mother and Father and their 4 children so tis possible. Further research is required to find out how. The fact that all houses of hospitality are run differently but adhering to the core beliefs gives you a certain amount of individual freedom, to operate on a personal basis.
I am not quite sure where this fits around a part time BA hons degree in Christian Counselling, many children, a part time job, and dreams of portable soup kitchens and a French monastery converted into a woman’s refuge but I am inspired enough to add it to the stack and 4 years down the line who knows maybe I can integrate the lot. :O)
Simon,
I think membership means making a choice to serve the common good and it just requires normal people. It does not require a special person, just a person focused on serving the common good. And we all struggle with what the common good means but we do our best. Pax, Paul
Catholic Worker is a movement. You don’t have to be a member.
mags – the London Catholic Worker now runs two houses of hospitality, one a night shelter for destitute refugees. It is true that most of the volunteers that live full time with the guests are young and single, but there are many volunteers with families who help collect food, prayer, cook, write, join in with acts of resistance, accompany the poor. People do what they can depending on their situation. We also meet to read and reflect time allowing.
Stephen Wang
I’m surprised you didn’t say something about the work of the Catholic Workers here in London and in Oxford. We are many and various, not all catholics, some atheists, quakers, c of e, mennonites help with the soup kitchen which is in a united reform church. If you would like to make contact we are on twitter, facebook and our website is http://www.londoncatholicworker.org/ and the farm is
http://www.thecatholicworkerfarm.org/
Thanks Henrietta. I linked to the London CW in the previous post – I’m grateful for the link to the farm. I hope we can cross paths sometime.