1970s

Summary: Speaks of loneliness and how community dispels it, even though quarrels sometimes erupt. Explains where the title of her autobiography, The Long Loneliness, came from. (The Catholic Worker, October-November 1975, 2. DDLW #564).

Summary: Fondly recalls Sister Aloysia who guided her preparation for Baptism, mentions tax resistance, and the enthusiasm of a convention of 16,000 charismatic Catholics whom she wishes would embrace peace activities, rejection of war, and income tax resistance. However, she admires their return to Scripture and communitarian spirit. Keyword: Pentecostal (The Catholic Worker, October-November 1975, 1, 8. DDLW #557).

Summary: Eulogizes Arthur Sheehan who was a Catholic Worker for many years and a biographer of Peter Maurin. Remembers him as a calm presence, an ecumenist, peacemaker, author, and contemplative. Keyword: obituary (The Catholic Worker, September 1975, 2, 8. DDLW #555).

Summary: Meandering reflections on joy in the midst of trouble, irritations mixed with beauty, peacemaking and resistance whilst threats of war persist. Invokes numerous Saints. (The Catholic Worker, July-August 1975, 2, 8. DDLW #553).

Summary: Vignettes from her date book–life at the beach house on Staten Island, visitors, books she is reading, meetings attended, and visits to Catholic Worker houses and her family. (The Catholic Worker, June 1975, 1, 2, 6. DDLW #552).

Summary: Talks of means and ends by juxtaposing news of the end of the Vietnam war with an obituary for Bill Gauchat. A close follower of Peter Maurin, Bill Gauchat and his family exemplified a life built around all the works of mercy. (The Catholic Worker, May 1975, 3. DDLW #551).

Summary: Traces the role of Mary has had in her prayer life–prayers learned before her conversion, her prayer at the national shrine to work for the worker and the poor, the little office of Mary, and the Memorare. Mentions the construction work on Maryhouse. (The Catholic Worker, May 1975, 1, 2, 12. DDLW #550).

Summary: Contemplates the mysteries of birth and death, the continuing strength of the youth and peace movements, examples of Peter Maurin’s “Green Revolution,” and the passing of her long-time friend Maisie Ward. (The Catholic Worker, February 1975, 2, 7. DDLW #547).

Summary: Describes time spent at the beach house, and a retreat at Corpus Christi Monastery. Eulogizes two long-time Catholic Workers, Julia Porcelli Moran and Jim Rogan, who recently had died. (The Catholic Worker, January 1975, 1, 2, 8. DDLW #546).

Summary: Advocates the small is beautiful, personalist, house of hospitality approach to the homeless, rather that the big impersonal approach of the municipal lodging houses. (The Catholic Worker, December 1974, 1-2. DDLW #180).

Summary: Records the trials and financial costs of meeting city building codes on a new house for homeless women, and asks for prayers and continued financial support. (The Catholic Worker, October-November 1974, 2. DDLW #544).

Summary: Announces the births of two great-grandchildren, describes a visit to Tamar’s farm in Vermont, and the harvesting of apples and vegetables. Praises Dick Bliss’ Green Hill School, and the character of “useful” versus “useless” work, quoting Dostoevsky. (The Catholic Worker, October-November 1974, 2, 8. DDLW #545).

Summary: Writes of beauty in nature and the strange beauty of suffering, their difficulties with city planners, Peter Maurin and Ralph Borsodi on economics, and the importance of “abiding joy” and the “primacy of the spiritual” in the face of national crisis. (The Catholic Worker, September 1974, 2, 8. DDLW #543).

Summary: Ill in bed, she tells of the immanent move to a new Maryhouse for women. Describes their farm as a “village”, remembers three workers who died, and recalls the pacifist witness of Ammon Hennacy and his gentle personality. (The Catholic Worker, July-August 1974, 2, 6. DDLW #542).

Summary: Focuses on fasting, how hard it is for her, and the call to be holy, to become whole persons–spiritually, mentally, and physically. Lists the many speaking s tops and visits with friends and workers in a trip through the Midwest. Keyword: saints (The Catholic Worker, June 1974, 2, 8. DDLW #541).

Summary: Describes the misery she sees and their efforts to open a new women’s house of hospitality. Diary-like account of visits to friends in Virginia, Georgia, and the William Miller (her biographer) family in Florida. (The Catholic Worker, March-April 1974, 2, 8. DDLW #539).