The Catholic Worker movement led by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin sought to invigorate and give new life to the radical vision of Christianity. At the heart of that vision is the practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy:
Day 4, Works of Mercy
Admin • December 3, 2022
- Feed the Hungry – Instruct the Ignorant
- Give Drink to the Thirsty – Counsel the Doubtful
- Clothe the Naked – Admonish the Sinner
- Visit the Imprisoned – Comfort the Sorrowful
- Shelter the Homeless – Bear Wrongs Patiently
- Visit the Sick – Forgive All Injuries
- Bury the Dead – Pray for the Living and the Dead
Servant of God Dorothy Day, intercede for us; pray that we grow in courage and faith to follow our own path to holiness.
We pray for the grace and desire to bear witness to our faith through the daily practice of the works of mercy.
“When Peter Maurin talked about the necessity of practicing the works of mercy, he meant all of them. He envisioned houses of hospitality in poor parishes in every city of the country, where these precepts of our Lord could be put into effect. He pointed out that we … no longer practice personal responsibility, but are repeating the words of the first murderer, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?” –Dorothy Day, “The Scandal of the Works of Mercy,” Commonweal, November 4, 1949
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Dear members of the Dorothy Day Guild, Lenten greetings to each of you! Even just one week in, it’s been a great gift to journey with Dorothy, who reminds us that the practices of Lent, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are powerful tools in the struggle for justice and peace. On the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Worker movement and newspaper , Dorothy wrote about the seamless garment of love that was the animating force of Christian faith. “We want to show our love for our brother, so that we can show our love for God,” she said in 1943, “and the best way we can do it is to try to give him what we’ve got, in the way of food, clothing and shelter; to give him what talents we possess by writing, drawing pictures, reminding each other of the love of God and the love of man. There is too little love in this world, too little tenderness.”
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Dear friends, Advent greetings to each of you! We hope that in the midst of what for many of us is a busy, exciting, and sometimes stressful time of year, you have had a few moments of peace where you have been reminded of the joy we are all anticipating. Christ is again coming into our midst, in order to make us members of His Body and draw us closer to each other and closer to God in love.