How does the “Catholic Worker” Work? (The 3-Minute Weekly Insight from Spirituality U.) The Catholic Worker is a loose-knit organization of Christians (primarily Roman Catholics) who work to alleviate the suffering of the poor while at the same time striving to promote peace and bring justice to the world. The Catholic Worker is based in the United States (where it is made up of more than 100 “Houses of Hospitality”) in cities as well as in rural areas. There are also several Catholic Worker houses in other countries. Louisville’s Catholic Worker community resides in a facility adjacent to the Chapel of St. Philip on Woodbine. The Catholic Worker also publishes a tabloid style newspaper seven times a year that is filled with news and philosophic musings on important topics related to peace and justice. The Catholic Worker movement was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression by Dorothy Day at the urging of Peter Maurin. Catholic Worker houses offer “food, clothing, shelter and welcome to those in need according to the ability of each household.” Co-founder Dorothy Day said, “Our rule is the works of mercy. It is the way of sacrifice, worship, a sense of reverence.” The corporal works of mercy comprise: feeding the hungry giving drink to the thirsty clothing the naked offering hospitality to the homeless caring for the sick visiting the imprisoned burying the dead The spiritual works of mercy comprise: admonishing the sinner instructing the ignorant counseling the doubtful comforting the sorrowful bearing wrongs patiently forgiving all injuries praying for the living and the dead The spirituality of the movement is perhaps best expressed by longtime member Tom Cornell: “The Catholic Worker Movement is made up of people motivated by the teachings of Jesus, especially as they are summarized in the Sermon on the Mount, and the teachings of the Catholic Church…to bring about a ‘new society within the shell of the old, a society in which it will be easier to be good.’ A society in tune with these teachings would have no place for economic exploitation or war, for racial, gender or religious discrimination, but would be marked by a cooperative social order without extremes of wealth and poverty and a nonviolent approach to legitimate defense and conflict resolution.” According to Forest, Catholic Workers also support the interests of laborers, human rights, and the development of a non-violent culture. Those involved in the movement are often self-declared pacifists. “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 traditionally refused to seek non-profit status, believing that such recognition prevents political activity on behalf of justice and limits the freedom of these organizations in other ways. Finally, this observation by Jim Forest perhaps explains best the style and soul of the Catholic Worker movement: “It is unlikely that any religious community was ever less structured…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 [in 1980], there has been no central leader.” https://vimeo/112318307
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 21:04:50 +0000
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