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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

A Catholic House

Dorothy Day said first and foremost the Catholic Worker Movement must be Catholic. In her day, it was the one thing that was understood by all workers. The Movement welcomed all but remained Catholic to the core. She strove to publish a paper faithful to Church teachings and it was well known she would desist her activities at once if demanded by her bishop.
I wonder how many hospitality houses of today would defend the faith as quickly as they would defend the homeless. I wonder if they would protest in front of an abortion clinic as quickly as the school of the Americas. Let me state that in no way am I questioning the great things these houses do, Catholic or not, for the people they serve. But I believe houses of hospitality, and farms, need to exist in the true Catholic Worker Tradition. That is my goal, to open, somewhere, somehow a Catholic Worker Hospitality House faithful to the Church, with a huge bloody crucifix over the entranceway, and a statue of Mary in plain view-no apologies. Time spent in communal prayer and protest. And the summit of it all, regular, hopefully, daily Mass for all workers. I won't shove tracts and apologetics down your throat with a hot bowl of soup, but through the actions of the Workers I want you to see, feel and come to believe in Gods love for you. Jesus offers us so much hope and grace to persevere through our lives. How could a Worker face misery and poverty daily without the Eucharist to turn to? How can we offer hope to others if we are hopeless?
To read Dorothy Day's works and co-founder Peter Maurin's Easy Essays I wholeheartedly recommend catholicworker.org. Lot of great stuff there. Check out the websites of the CW houses and let me know what you think.

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