Over the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about Dorothy Day quite a bit. Not sure why but perhaps some of this has to do with my own thinking and rethinking about my past experiences. A natural part of the aging process I hear. Reflections and review of the past is an important aspect of making sense of one’s life. When we're young, we look to the future but at some point we transition as we age and look to the past.
For those who are reading this with little information about Dorothy Day and her life and work, here are a few places where you can begin your journey of meeting and learning about Dorothy:
A Biography of Dorothy Day by Jim Forest
Dorothy Day at Wikipedia
I recently received a copy of the Catholic Worker in the mail. There were reflections in that issue on Frank Donovan, a quiet force at the Worker, who recently passed away. One of the articles was accompanied by a picture shared below of Donavan, Cesar Chavez and Dorothy Day late in her life at the Catholic Worker in NYC.
I thought perhaps that article started me thinking, but no I had started reflecting some time before. She has been on my mind. as I've written about Chavez, war and peace, life.
This past week I was doing some research as I often do - no particular reason or project - and in the process found a number of articles by Dorothy about the period of time that I found myself at the Catholic Worker in 1965-1966. One referenced a visit I made to NYC in Oct. of 1980 to see her and others at the Worker. She mentioned in the article that she wasn’t feeling well and therefore didn’t see me. That got me thinking - when did Dorothy die? Turns out that it was about a month later in 1980 on Nov. 29th. So she and I missed that opportunity to visit with each other, to catch up, to reflect and to celebrate. Then I realized that Nov.29th was a week away and it would be the 32nd anniversary of her death. Imagine 32 years. Where has that time gone? One thing led to another and I checked my trusty search engines to see where things may be at with the canonization effort for Dorothy. Low and behold an article had just been published yesterday, Nov. 20, in the National Catholic Reporter telling the story of how the entire delegation of US Catholic Bishops had, within the past week, voted unanimously to support and work for Dorothy Day’s canonization to sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church. You can read the article here .
All of this have made me think and reflect on that process, Dorothy and her life, and on those Bishops. Frankly, sainthood is not an issue that strikes me as very important in this day and age. It is a recognition by an institution that is probably more important for the institution then for anyone else. It bestows an honor on someone by men who think they have the power to identify saints among us. Many times we correct words like men to be more inclusive and universal but no need here. This is a real group of mostly old, mostly white men.
My belief in sainthood along with many other beliefs left me some time ago but I do recognize the need for institutional freedom in this regard. Institutions need to be free to follow their rituals and beliefs. So be it.
Having said that, the US Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church are playing catch up and probably won’t be able to (catch up that is). They are so far behind, catching up is pretty unrealistic. I don’t know when it was that they lost touch with their flock but they did. In addition, they’ve been trying to put the teachings and fresh air of Pope John XXIII back in a closed and sequestered room for all the years since his death. Many seem to be looking at Dorothy Day’s sainthood as a political move. A way to recruit and attract the young, the poor, the oppressed. Perhaps a clear indication of their view of sainthood.
But here’s the reality. Dorothy Day was a holy woman. She was strong in her beliefs and she was a good person. She had her faults and her weaknesses, as we all do, and she was the first to speak of them. She was smart, politically astute and strong. She had a way with words and was able to politely humiliate those who deserved it and support those who needed it. She stood up to every authority with clear and concise views and arguments. She gave credit where it was due but lashed out at injustice - individual, sectarian, within the church and other institutions. If and when she didn’t, it would likely gnaw at her. She had no patience for the evil that she saw. She had great respect for the poor and for poverty itself. She was a prolific and great writer. She would have enjoyed blogging I’m sure. Her ‘On Pilgrimage’ series was a blog minus the internet and a computer.
There are those who want to put Dorothy in some sort of box or place for their own political agenda. But it can’t be done. Her reach is too far. Her writings too dynamic, allowing for growth and change - how unique. Dorothy was truly religious. She went on many 'retreats'. I remember a discussion one day after one such event where she informed everyone that perhaps we were in need of a 'charge ahead' vs a 'retreat'. The Bishops may want to think about that.
I consider myself lucky to have known Dorothy and to have gained her respect. I’ll continue to think and write about her in the hope that her memory keeps shining like that little light we sometimes sing about.
For those who are reading this with little information about Dorothy Day and her life and work, here are a few places where you can begin your journey of meeting and learning about Dorothy:
A Biography of Dorothy Day by Jim Forest
Dorothy Day at Wikipedia
I recently received a copy of the Catholic Worker in the mail. There were reflections in that issue on Frank Donovan, a quiet force at the Worker, who recently passed away. One of the articles was accompanied by a picture shared below of Donavan, Cesar Chavez and Dorothy Day late in her life at the Catholic Worker in NYC.
I thought perhaps that article started me thinking, but no I had started reflecting some time before. She has been on my mind. as I've written about Chavez, war and peace, life.
This past week I was doing some research as I often do - no particular reason or project - and in the process found a number of articles by Dorothy about the period of time that I found myself at the Catholic Worker in 1965-1966. One referenced a visit I made to NYC in Oct. of 1980 to see her and others at the Worker. She mentioned in the article that she wasn’t feeling well and therefore didn’t see me. That got me thinking - when did Dorothy die? Turns out that it was about a month later in 1980 on Nov. 29th. So she and I missed that opportunity to visit with each other, to catch up, to reflect and to celebrate. Then I realized that Nov.29th was a week away and it would be the 32nd anniversary of her death. Imagine 32 years. Where has that time gone? One thing led to another and I checked my trusty search engines to see where things may be at with the canonization effort for Dorothy. Low and behold an article had just been published yesterday, Nov. 20, in the National Catholic Reporter telling the story of how the entire delegation of US Catholic Bishops had, within the past week, voted unanimously to support and work for Dorothy Day’s canonization to sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church. You can read the article here .
All of this have made me think and reflect on that process, Dorothy and her life, and on those Bishops. Frankly, sainthood is not an issue that strikes me as very important in this day and age. It is a recognition by an institution that is probably more important for the institution then for anyone else. It bestows an honor on someone by men who think they have the power to identify saints among us. Many times we correct words like men to be more inclusive and universal but no need here. This is a real group of mostly old, mostly white men.
My belief in sainthood along with many other beliefs left me some time ago but I do recognize the need for institutional freedom in this regard. Institutions need to be free to follow their rituals and beliefs. So be it.
Having said that, the US Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church are playing catch up and probably won’t be able to (catch up that is). They are so far behind, catching up is pretty unrealistic. I don’t know when it was that they lost touch with their flock but they did. In addition, they’ve been trying to put the teachings and fresh air of Pope John XXIII back in a closed and sequestered room for all the years since his death. Many seem to be looking at Dorothy Day’s sainthood as a political move. A way to recruit and attract the young, the poor, the oppressed. Perhaps a clear indication of their view of sainthood.
But here’s the reality. Dorothy Day was a holy woman. She was strong in her beliefs and she was a good person. She had her faults and her weaknesses, as we all do, and she was the first to speak of them. She was smart, politically astute and strong. She had a way with words and was able to politely humiliate those who deserved it and support those who needed it. She stood up to every authority with clear and concise views and arguments. She gave credit where it was due but lashed out at injustice - individual, sectarian, within the church and other institutions. If and when she didn’t, it would likely gnaw at her. She had no patience for the evil that she saw. She had great respect for the poor and for poverty itself. She was a prolific and great writer. She would have enjoyed blogging I’m sure. Her ‘On Pilgrimage’ series was a blog minus the internet and a computer.
There are those who want to put Dorothy in some sort of box or place for their own political agenda. But it can’t be done. Her reach is too far. Her writings too dynamic, allowing for growth and change - how unique. Dorothy was truly religious. She went on many 'retreats'. I remember a discussion one day after one such event where she informed everyone that perhaps we were in need of a 'charge ahead' vs a 'retreat'. The Bishops may want to think about that.
I consider myself lucky to have known Dorothy and to have gained her respect. I’ll continue to think and write about her in the hope that her memory keeps shining like that little light we sometimes sing about.
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