Michael Brooks
The Catholic Worker was a newspaper founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. It was priced at one cent and aimed at those suffering the most during the Great Depression. The Catholic Worker was part of the Catholic Worker Movement, a collection of autonomous communities founded by Day and Maurin in the United States in the same year. The movement aimed to live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ, with one of its guiding principles being hospitality towards those on the margins of society. The newspaper was published continuously from its inception until 2021, and at its peak in 1938, it had a circulation of 190,000.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Inception | 1933 |
| Founders | Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Initial Circulation | 2,500 copies |
| Initial Price | One penny |
| Peak Circulation | 190,000 by 1938 |
| Current Circulation | 50,000 |
| Current Frequency | Published seven times a year |
| Editor | Dorothy Day from 1933 until her death in 1980 |
| Mission | To spread the idea of the Catholic Worker Movement to a wider audience |
| Aim | To help those who were suffering the most in the depths of the Great Depression |
| Target Audience | The unemployed |
| Content | Advocacy journalism, including coverage of strikes, working conditions, and papal teachings on social issues |
| Format | No advertising, no paid staff |
| Related Organizations | Houses of hospitality, farm communities, and agronomic universities |
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What You'll Learn
Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin founded the newspaper in 1933
Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin founded the Catholic Worker newspaper in 1933. The debut edition was published on May Day 1933 and 2,500 copies were distributed, sold by Day for a penny each in Union Square. Day and Maurin envisioned the newspaper as a platform for the unemployed, drawing from Maurin's knowledge of European socialism and personalist philosophy, and Day's journalistic skills and understanding of American culture.
Day and Maurin's collaboration culminated in the establishment of the Catholic Worker Movement, spurred by their shared commitment to nonviolent revolution. The movement officially began in 1933 with the inception of the newspaper. The Catholic Worker Movement is a collection of autonomous communities founded in the United States, with the aim to live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ. The movement campaigns for nonviolence and is active in opposing war and the unequal global distribution of wealth.
Day contributed extensively to the content of the newspaper, writing the majority of its eight pages. She advocated for the Catholic economic theory of distributism, which she considered a third way between capitalism and socialism. The newspaper also provided coverage of strikes, explored working conditions, especially for women and African American workers, and explained papal teaching on social issues.
The readership of the Catholic Worker grew significantly, and by September 1933, Day and Maurin were printing 20,000 papers. By 1935, circulation had risen to 110,000 and would reach 150,000 by 1936. During World War II, the newspaper maintained a relatively high circulation, but it decreased due to its pacifist stance. Day's commitment to pacifism caused circulation to drop to 50,000 during the war. After Maurin's death in 1949, Day assumed leadership of the movement and continued to serve as the editor of the newspaper until her death in 1980.
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The Catholic Worker Movement
The movement's beginnings can be traced to the establishment of the Catholic Worker newspaper in 1933, which served as a platform for Day and Maurin's shared commitment to nonviolent revolution. The debut edition, published on May Day 1933, was priced at one cent, with 2,500 copies distributed. Dorothy Day, a radical journalist who converted to Catholicism, wrote most of its eight pages. The newspaper, envisioned by Day and Maurin during their extensive discussions, was tailored for the unemployed and those suffering the most during the Great Depression. It provided coverage of strikes, explored working conditions, particularly for women and African American workers, and explained papal teachings on social issues.
The movement's principles are grounded in communitarianism and personalism. It has inspired the establishment of houses of hospitality, providing food, shelter, and companionship to those in need. These houses are not limited to the United States, with communities extending to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden. The movement has also given rise to farm communities and agronomic universities, offering land and jobs to those displaced by industrialisation.
Dorothy Day's influence extended beyond her lifetime, as she served as the editor of the Catholic Worker newspaper until her death in 1980. Her commitment to pacifism and disarmament advocacy led her to protest against the nuclear arms race and various contemporary conflicts. Day is recognised as one of the most influential lay persons in American Catholicism, and the Catholic Church is considering her for sainthood.
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The newspaper's pacifist stance
The Catholic Worker newspaper was founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. It was priced at one cent and aimed at those suffering the most during the Great Depression. The paper advocated for the Catholic economic theory of distributism, which was considered a third way between capitalism and socialism. The Catholic Worker Movement, of which the newspaper was a part, was a Christian anarchist movement that believed all authority came from God. This movement was founded on the principles of nonviolent revolution, hospitality, and social justice.
The Catholic Worker's pacifist position was also evident in its break from traditional Catholic doctrine. Starting in 1935, the newspaper published articles articulating an uncompromising stance against war. This perspective contributed to internal conflicts within the movement and impacted its circulation.
Despite the drop in circulation due to its pacifist stance during World War II, The Catholic Worker newspaper played a significant role in spreading the ideas of the Catholic Worker Movement beyond its New York origins. By 1941, more than 30 independent but affiliated communities had been founded, and the movement continued to grow in the following decades, with additional communities established both within the US and internationally.
The Catholic Worker newspaper, edited by Day from its inception until her death in 1980, remains the most well-known publication among the numerous Catholic Worker communities' outputs.
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Houses of hospitality
The Catholic Worker newspaper was founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. It was priced at one cent and aimed at those suffering the most during the Great Depression. The Catholic Worker Movement, which the newspaper was integral to, is a collection of autonomous communities founded in the United States in the same year. The movement aimed to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ".
The houses of hospitality were based on the principles of communitarianism and personalism, with each house having a unique mission suited to its local region. Families played a variety of roles in the Catholic Worker Movement, with some assisting the houses of hospitality and others opening up a "Christ room" in their homes for those in need.
The idea of houses of hospitality spread through reports printed by those who had experienced working in them, and the newspaper played a crucial role in disseminating these ideas to other cities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Catholic Worker newspaper, edited by Dorothy Day until her death in 1980, remains the most well-known publication of the movement.
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The newspaper's writers and editors
The Catholic Worker newspaper was established in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, with Day serving as its editor from 1933 until her death in 1980. Day contributed extensively to the content of the debut edition, writing the majority of its eight pages. She continued to write for the newspaper throughout her tenure as editor, and her complete writings for the publication are available on CatholicWorker.org.
Day and Maurin shared a commitment to nonviolent revolution and envisioned the newspaper as a platform for the unemployed. Maurin, a French immigrant, drew from his knowledge of European socialism and personalist philosophy, while Day leveraged her journalistic skills and understanding of American culture. The first issue was published with the support of a $1 donation from Sister Peter Claver, and 2,500 copies were distributed for a penny each in Union Square.
Following Maurin's death in 1949, Day assumed leadership of the Catholic Worker Movement and continued as editor of the newspaper. During the 1950s and 1960s, her focus shifted from labour issues to pacifism and disarmament advocacy. She actively protested against the nuclear arms race, the Korean War, and other major conflicts, believing that verbal opposition was insufficient.
Over the years, the Catholic Worker newspaper attracted writers and editors such as Michael Harrington, Ammon Hennacy, Thomas Merton, and Daniel Berrigan. The publication also featured the artwork of Ade Bethune, who was active in the movement and played a role in the canonization process for Day.
Today, the newspaper continues to be published seven times a year by the New York community, maintaining around 20,000 mail subscribers. Joanne Kennedy serves as the managing editor, and Amanda W. Daloisio is the co-managing editor. Notably, the publication has consciously opted against having a digital presence, choosing to manually lay out the paper instead of using digital software.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Worker was first published on May 1, 1933.
The Catholic Worker was founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin.
The Catholic Worker aimed to spread the idea of the Catholic Worker Movement to a wider audience. The movement aimed to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ".
By September 1933, the circulation of the newspaper had increased from 2,500 to 20,000. By 1935, the circulation had risen to 110,000 and to 150,000 by 1936.
Dorothy Day served as editor of The Catholic Worker from 1933 until her death in 1980. The newspaper is still published seven times a year by the New York community.
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