Almost immediately after her death in 1980 controversy arose about whether Dorothy Day should be canonized a Saint by the…
Almost immediately after her death in 1980 controversy arose about whether Dorothy Day should be canonized a Saint by the Church.
Many voices are in support of the canonization process, citing Dorothy Day’s life as an example that has inspired them to prayer and action for social justice. Her faithfulness to the Gospel, living the “preferential option for the poor” and showing that a lay person can achieve heroic virtue are often cited.
Dorothy Day icon by Nicholas Tsai
Voices opposing the process say that Dorothy Day shunned the suggestion she was a saint and believe she would rather have any money spent on her canonization given to the poor. Others are concerned that her radical vision will be sanitized and spun to support Catholic traditionalism and a narrow anti-abortion stance, neutralizing her ardent pacifism, radical critique of society, and love of the poor.
“Dorothy Day is already a saint” is a common refrain, which reminds us that the Church doesn’t make saints, but only recognizes what the faithful acknowledge as the action of God’s grace in a person’s life.
Organizations supporting canonization
Dorothy Day Canonization Support Network Includes prayers, links to resources about CW news and Dorothy Day, and a list of current groups, organizations and communities who are members.
The Dorothy Day Guild Includes information about the canonization process, her life and words, and a blog anyone can participate in.
Presented at the Dorothy Day Centenary Conference, Marquette University, October 10, 1997. This article also appeared in a shorter form as “The Trouble With Saint Dorothy“, U.S. Catholic, November 1997.
Many Catholic Workers support the process of adding Dorothy Day to the Church’s official roster of canonized saints—but not all do. While this opposition to the canonization process is often acknowledged, the reasons behind it are rarely detailed. In the spirit of “clarification of thought,” then, here are some of the those reasons.
Dorothy Day, saint and troublemaker. Most saints lived in the distant past, and have been presented to us with all blemishes removed. The record of Dorothy was, what she was like, and what she did is too complete and accessible to for to be hidden in the wedding-cake icing.
Article by Robert Elsberg in The Catholic Worker, May 2015, pp 1, 5 . He writes in support of the cause for Dorothy Day’s canonization, addressing “the many deep admirers and even followers of Dorothy Day who have no doubts about her holiness but are skeptical or suspicious of the process of canonization. “
In this classic essay from the May 2015 issue of The Catholic Worker, Robert Ellsberg reflects on what saints meant to Dorothy Day, what they mean for the Church, and why the question of her canonization ultimately comes down to whether it will draw people to live out the radical love of Jesus.
Text of Cardinal O’Connor’s homily at Sunday Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral November 9, 1997. Reprinted with permission from Catholic New York, November 13, p. 13-14.
Jim Allaire is a retired psychologist and software developer. In addition to raising two sons with his wife, Barbara, he co-founded the Winona Catholic Worker (Winona, Minnesota). At about the same time, he began developing CatholicWorker.org with the help of many volunteers. He is also the author of two books: Praying With Dorothy Day (Word Among Us Press, 1995) and Costly Grace (iUniverse, 2009), a mystery novel. He currently resides in Newton, MA, near Boston.
Summary: Writing from Albuquerque she contrasts two types of hospitality–the “grand gesture” that doesn’t last and the “unspectacular” that perseveres. Opposes a top down governmental approach to helping the poor and is critical of excessive spending for airbases and for Church decorations. Witnesses the brutal breakup of the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama and relates several incidents of violence and segregation in Mississippi. Keywords: Negro, Black (DDLW #823). The Catholic Worker, March 1965, 1, 2, 6.
Summary: Tells of their efforts to help the poor as best they can without a house of their own saying it reveals their faults. Recalls how their breadlines started in 1936. “We live in no ivory tower.” (The Catholic Worker, August 1959, 1, 6, 8. DDLW #754).
Summary: Continues her account of a visit to Russia. Recounts a visit to Red Square, Lenin’s tomb, the graves in the Kremlin wall, and comments on Russian writers. (The Catholic Worker, October-November 1971, 3, 6. DDLW #515).
In this 1945 meditation on Christmas, Dorothy Day reflects that it is not too late for any of us to welcome Christ, “who is always asking for room in our hearts” in the guise of our contemporaries, especially the poor.
Summary: Points out that many Join the Communist Party with good intentions, such as to better man’s human condition, yet many have received no religious training and are not concerned with the Party’s anti-religious stance. Gives a short summary of Lenin’s attitude toward dealing with Christianity. (The Catholic Worker, 49 (April 29, 1933):82-83. DDLW #44).
Summary: Explains their position on usury and derides the profit system. Says they try to withdraw from “THE SYSTEM” by following Matthew 25. Keywords: work (DDLW #768: The Catholic Worker, September 1960, 1.)
