Michael Brooks
The Catholic Worker Movement is a collection of autonomous communities founded by Dorothy Day, a left-wing journalist and Catholic convert, and Peter Maurin, a French immigrant and self-described peasant-philosopher. The movement was founded in 1933 in New York City to implement the teachings of the Gospels and Catholic social teaching, especially as presented in the social encyclicals. The first project of Peter and Dorothy was the foundation of the Catholic Worker newspaper, which was sold for one cent a copy. The Catholic Worker Movement aimed to create a new society within the shell of the old, a society with no place for economic exploitation, war, racial, gender or religious discrimination, but marked by a cooperative social order without extremes of wealth and poverty.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founded in 1933 | To live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ |
| Founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin | Hospitality towards those on the margin of society |
| Started with the Catholic Worker newspaper | Opposition to war and the unequal global distribution of wealth |
| Houses of hospitality | Pacifism |
| Farming communes | Anarchism |
| Emphasizes personal reform | Nonviolence |
| Radical agrarianism | Voluntary poverty |
| Autonomous communities | Christian anarchist movement |
| Emphasizes the practice of the principles in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount | All authority comes from God |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Worker newspaper
The Catholic Worker Movement was founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day, a journalist and Catholic reformer, and Peter Maurin, a French immigrant and self-described peasant-philosopher. The movement began with the Catholic Worker newspaper, which was created to advance Catholic social teaching and promote a neutral, Christian pacifist position during the turbulent 1930s.
The newspaper was first sold in New York City, where Day and Maurin met and started the movement. The Catholic Worker was a monthly publication that served as a platform for Day and Maurin to disseminate their ideas and gain traction for their cause. It was through this newspaper that they promoted the Catholic notion of the "preferential option for the poor" and other social teachings. The circulation of the newspaper grew over time, reaching 65,000 by the 1960s and nearly 100,000 by 1980.
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Houses of hospitality
The Catholic Worker Movement was founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day, a journalist and Catholic reformer, and Peter Maurin, a French immigrant, itinerant labourer, and self-described peasant-philosopher. The movement is a collection of autonomous communities that aim to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ".
One of the core principles of the movement is hospitality, which is provided through Houses of Hospitality in cities across the United States. These houses offer food, shelter, and other material needs to the poor and homeless, and are run by volunteers who often advocate for the idea of voluntary poverty. The first Houses of Hospitality were established in New York City, and by 1939, there were 23 such houses across the country, along with two farms and 13 affiliate study groups.
The Houses of Hospitality are not just places of shelter, but also serve as centres for dialogue and the exchange of ideas. Regular meetings are held for the "clarification of thought", where people of all persuasions come together to discuss Christian social thought and explore ways to create a better society.
The Catholic Worker Movement also established farming communes, where people could live together and work together, growing their own food and participating in crafts. These communes were intended to encourage scholars to become workers and workers to become scholars, while also providing a practical alternative to a society struggling with unemployment.
The movement is known for its commitment to nonviolence and pacifism, and its opposition to war and the unequal global distribution of wealth. It has influenced the revival of the pacifist tradition in American Catholicism and has been active in promoting civil disobedience, labour rights, and social justice.
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Farming communes
The Catholic Worker Movement, founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, is a collection of autonomous communities that aim to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ". The movement is guided by the principles of hospitality, personalism, communitarianism, and Christian pacifism.
Peter Maurin, a self-described peasant-philosopher and Christian radical, envisioned a society where each person worked according to their ability and received according to their needs. The farming communes were intended to encourage scholars to become workers and workers to become scholars, promoting a dialogue between people of all persuasions.
The first satellite farm community of the Catholic Worker Movement was founded in 1936. By 1939, the movement had established two farms and 23 Houses of Hospitality, with affiliate study groups in several cities across the United States, including Boston, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Portland.
These farming communes were part of the movement's commitment to radical agrarianism and communal living. Members of the communes grew their own food, participated in crafts, and lived together in community with each other and those in need. The Catholic Worker Movement's farming communes provided a space for people to live out their beliefs, combining religious conviction with a rejection of wealth and power and a commitment to serving each other and the poor.
Today, the Catholic Worker Movement continues to inspire people, and while traditional houses of hospitality and communal farms remain important, there may be new forms that are better suited to the contemporary world.
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Christian anarchism
The Catholic Worker Movement, founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, is a collection of autonomous communities that follow the teachings of Jesus and the Catholic Church. The movement is driven by the belief in creating a "new society within the shell of the old", where there is no place for economic exploitation, war, racial, gender, or religious discrimination. Instead, this new society would be marked by cooperative social order without extremes of wealth and poverty, and a nonviolent approach to conflict resolution.
The movement's philosophy has been described as Christian anarchism, with all authority derived from God. This form of anarchism follows Christ as a model of nonviolent revolutionary behaviour, respecting individual conscience while preaching a prophetic message. The Catholic Worker Movement is not officially recognised by the Catholic Church, and its activities may vary in religious tone depending on the specific community.
The movement began with the publication of the Catholic Worker newspaper, created by Day and Maurin to promote Catholic social teachings and pacifism during the turbulent 1930s. The newspaper served as a platform to advocate for the establishment of houses of hospitality and farming communes. These houses provided direct assistance to those in need, offering food, shelter, and other material support, reflecting the movement's emphasis on hospitality and personal reform.
The Catholic Worker Movement gained traction through its monthly newspaper, which circulated across the United States and Canada. By 1939, the movement had established 23 Houses of Hospitality, two farms, and 13 affiliate study groups in various cities. Despite facing challenges during World War II, with many members joining the armed services, the movement persevered and continued to inspire people with its message of peace and social justice.
The Catholic Worker Movement has left a lasting impact on Christianity in North America, particularly within the Catholic Church. It has been a significant force on the Christian left, influencing the revival of pacifism in American Catholicism and promoting civil disobedience in the pursuit of peace, nuclear non-proliferation, labour rights, and social justice. The movement's commitment to voluntary poverty and communal living has attracted followers seeking a whole-life commitment to their faith and a rejection of capitalism.
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Pacifism
The Catholic Worker Movement was founded on the principles of pacifism and nonviolence. The movement's founders, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, were motivated by the teachings of Jesus, especially those summarised in the Sermon on the Mount, and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Day, an American journalist and Catholic reformer, and Maurin, a French immigrant and self-described peasant-philosopher, sought to establish a new society based on justice, charity, and Christian anarchism.
The movement's commitment to pacifism was evident from its early days. During World War II, the Catholic Worker maintained a strict pacifist position, even as many young members of the movement joined the armed services. The movement actively opposed war and promoted peace, nuclear non-proliferation, and civil disobedience. This stance was influenced by the Gospel teachings and Catholic social doctrine that Day and Maurin sought to implement.
One of the movement's key practices was the establishment of ""houses of hospitality," which provided food, shelter, and other material needs to the poor and homeless. These houses became places where movement members lived alongside those they served, blurring the lines between those giving and receiving help. The Catholic Worker also established farming communes, where members worked according to their abilities and received according to their needs. These communes were intended to create a more equitable society, free from economic exploitation and extremes of wealth and poverty.
The Catholic Worker Movement's commitment to pacifism and nonviolence extended beyond just words; it was a core part of their identity and influenced their actions and practices. Their influence was such that they became one of the most significant forces on the Christian left in the United States, reviving the pacifist tradition within American Catholicism. Their legacy continues to inspire those seeking to live out their faith through social justice and service to the marginalised.
The movement's pacifist stance was also reflected in its approach to conflict resolution and defence. They advocated for a nonviolent approach, emphasising that a society based on the teachings of Jesus would have no place for war or violence. This belief in nonviolent resistance and the rejection of violence, wealth, and power as contrary to the politics of Jesus were fundamental to the movement's identity and practices.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Worker Movement was founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in 1933.
The Catholic Worker Movement is a radical movement of sharing and caring, combining religious conviction, a broadly anarchistic attitude towards the state, voluntary poverty, and a firm commitment to nonviolence. The movement emphasizes personal reform, radical agrarianism, absolute pacifism, and the practice of the principles in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
The Catholic Worker Movement aimed to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ". The movement is guided by the principle of hospitality towards those on the margins of society, providing food, shelter, and other material needs to the poor. The movement also campaigns for nonviolence and opposes war and the unequal global distribution of wealth.
The Catholic Worker Movement started with the Catholic Worker newspaper, created by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin to advance Catholic social teaching and take a neutral, Christian pacifist position in the 1930s. The newspaper served as a platform to spread their ideas and gain traction for the movement. The first project of the movement was the establishment of houses of hospitality, followed by the creation of farming communes.
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