On War and Peace
Various articles by Dorothy Day on the themes of war, pacifism, and the Catholic Worker positions on making peace.
Various articles by Dorothy Day on the themes of war, pacifism, and the Catholic Worker positions on making peace.
Summary: Relishes life on the land, saying it is a place to retreat to, find God, and to go forth from as apostles. Summarizes five retreat talks whose focus is to increase the desire for sanctity, to a more complete love of God. Gives examples of her failure to love and the struggle to renew love of God and neighbor. (DDLW #482).
Summary: Describes the hustle and bustle around the farm–planting, building, cooking. Ruminates about conversion, calling each person to a revolution beginning with themselves–to make a start toward a new way of living based on distributism. Says distributism is neither communism nor capitalism but based on individual ownership of land, tools, workshops, and factories. Keyword: economics (DDLW #481).
Summary: Praises God for May, the month of Mary and full of beauty. Recalls the Catholic Worker began in May sixteen years ago and summarizes their program and the many allied movements of the lay apostolate. Says their pacifism and distributism distinguishes them from other movements. Focuses on voluntary poverty as exemplified in Peter Maurin’s life, especially since he became ill. Reflects on holiness and the call to all to become saints. Includes quotations from her winter’s reading. Keywords: Gandhi, machine, philosophy of work (DDLW #480).
Summary: Short diary-like jottings: memories, visitors, TV shows watched, and comments on books. (DDLW #921) The Catholic Worker, Oct/Nov 1980, 2, 7
Summary: A series of brief diary entries about phone calls, Masses, shows on TV, operas, books she’s reading, recollections of friends and times past. A quote from St. Augustine on the love of God. (DDLW #917). The Catholic Worker, September 1980, 6
Summary: Jottings about music, dramas, and documentaries she enjoyed on TV and radio. Notes the comings and goings of friends and recollects times past. Mentions where she learned about praying for those who commit suicide. (DDLW #922) The Catholic Worker, July-August 1980, 2, 6.
Summary: An essay on the mystery and complexity of poverty, real and voluntary kinds. Enumerates the many forms of poverty, the irony of “poverty” in “rich” religious orders, and finally poverty as a means of helping the poor. (DDLW #633). The Catholic Worker, May 1952, 2, 6.
Summary: Finds it hard to write about her sister Della who died–“my closest friend and confidante.” Recalls growing up in Chicago together and their reading, conversations, and walks. Notes their differences over birth control–Della had worked for Margaret Sanger who Dorothy once interviewed. (The Catholic Worker, May 1980, 2. DDLW #603).
Summary: Notes from her diary about operas, Friday night speakers, visitors, phone calls, and friends. (The Catholic Worker, March-April 1980, 2. DDLW #604).
Summary: Diary jottings of people coming and going, music listened to, books read, and little delights. Describes herself as “on the shelf” and quotes a prayer of Ephraim the Syrian on sloth. (The Catholic Worker, February 1980, 7. DDLW #602).
Summary: A tender reminiscence of Stanley Vishnewski, the first to join her after she met Peter Maurin. Recalls how he saved her life, his companionship, generosity, and those who delighted in him. “I miss Stanley.” (The Catholic Worker, December 1979, 5. DDLW #601).
Summary: A tender reminiscence of Stanley Vishnewski, the first to join her after she met Peter Maurin. Recalls how he saved her life, his companionship, generosity, and those who delighted in him. “I miss Stanley.” (DDLW #601).The Catholic Worker, December 1979, 5.
Summary: Explains Peter Maurin’s ideal of “agronomic universities”–communal farms founded on a philosophy of work, especially manual labor. While an ideal, farm communities often suffered from too little skill and community conflicts. Lauds the new Peter Maurin farm on Staten Island and envisions deepening one’s spiritual life in work on the land. (DDLW #923). The Catholic Worker, Oct/Nov 1979, 1, 2, 7
Summary: A set of short entries from her diary, including descriptions of anti-nuclear demonstrations and the subsequent arrests of participants, the death of several friends, politics on Cuba, and a book on Catholic Worker conscientious objectors in World War II. Mentions many friends and books. (The Catholic Worker, September 1979, 4. DDLW #600).
Summary: Jotings about many things–nuclear protest, phone calls from old friends, childhood memories, the weather. Includes a letter from a friend about facing fear. (The Catholic Worker, July-August 1979, 7. DDLW #260).
Summary: Reminisces about Peter Maurin and summarizes his program and repeats his favorite slogans. Snippets about books she’s reading, comings and goings, protests, and mail. Notes the Watergate scandal. (DDLW #599).The Catholic Worker, June 1979, 2, 6.
Summary: A collection of jottings about visitors, gifts, books, the Holy Week liturgy and protests against nuclear submarines. Cesar Chavez visits. (DDLW #598).The Catholic Worker, May 1979, 1, 2.
Summary: Comments on numerous books, recollections of childhood, and mentions various friends and visitors. (The Catholic Worker, March-April 1979, 2, 7. DDLW #597).
Summary: Snippets about her thoughts upon rising–from Scripture, Peter Maurin, dreams–and visitors during the month. (DDLW #596).The Catholic Worker, February 1979, 7, 8.