''The Catholic Worker'' is a

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

based in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. It is published seven times a year by the flagship ''Catholic Worker'' community in New York City. It focuses on themes such as social justice, Catholic social teaching, pacifism, and activism. As of May 2023, it has about 26,000 mail subscribers. Despite transitioning towards decentralized distribution, specifics on circulation remain limited. Notably, the publication has refrained from offering a digital edition. Established in 1933 as a platform for the Catholic Worker Movement by

Dorothy Day Dorothy Day, Oblate#Secular oblates, OblSB (November 8, 1897 – November 29, 1980) was an American journalist, social activist and Anarchism, anarchist who, after a bohemianism, bohemian youth, became a Catholic Church, Catholic without aba ...

and Peter Maurin, the newspaper operates without formal leadership following the passing of its founders and is currently managed by editors Amanda Daloisio and Joanne Kennedy.

History

Preconception

In 1928, Dorothy Day's conversion to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

marked a pivotal moment where her religious convictions intertwined with her political aspirations. This alignment was further solidified when she crossed paths with Peter Maurin, a French immigrant, in 1933. Maurin's arrival at Day's home sparked a meeting of minds, as they shared mutual ideas and visions. Their collaboration culminated in the establishment of the Catholic Worker Movement, spurred by their shared commitment to nonviolent revolution. This movement officially began in 1933 with the inception of ''The Catholic Worker'' newspaper, a platform they envisioned during their extensive discussions and deliberations.Brock, B. L. (2007). Women in History – Dorothy Day. ''Journal of Women in Educational Leadership, 5''(2), 3. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=jwel Maurin proposed the idea to Day that the newspaper should be tailored for the unemployed. Drawing from his knowledge of

European socialism Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...

and

personalist Personalism is an intellectual stance that emphasizes the importance of human persons. Personalism exists in many different versions, and this makes it somewhat difficult to define as a philosophical and theological movement. Friedrich Schleierm ...

philosophy, Maurin collaborated with Day, leveraging her journalistic skills and understanding of American culture. In the initial stages of planning the publication, there was a divergence in opinions between Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin regarding the name of the newspaper. Maurin advocated for naming it "The Catholic Radical," while Day, drawing from her background as a former Communist, believed that "The Catholic Worker" would better resonate with their intended audience.Newman, V. (2015). The Catholic Worker Movement. ''Denison Journal of Religion, 15''(3). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.denison.edu/religion/vol14/iss3/ She elaborated that the term "Worker" in the paper's title included individuals engaged in physical, mental, or spiritual labor, particularly emphasizing the poor, the dispossessed, and the exploited.

Founding and Early Expansion (1933–1938)

''The Catholic Worker'' was established in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. The debut edition of the Catholic Worker was published on

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's March equinox, spring equinox and midsummer June solstice, solstice. Festivities ma ...

in 1933. This edition, printed by a religious press, saw 2,500 copies distributed. Day sold the paper for a penny each in Union Square and Day contributed extensively to its content, writing the majority of its eight pages. Maurin wanted the newspaper to be part of a bigger plan for Catholic social action. This plan involved a mix of learning to help people think intellectually, regardless of their background. It also included setting up places where the needy could get food, shelter, and companionship—called houses of hospitality. Maurin also thought about creating farm communities or agronomic universities. These places would give land and jobs to people who were struggling because of displacement by

industrialisation Industrialisation ( UK) or industrialization ( US) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial society. This involves an extensive reorganisation of an economy for th ...

.Pollak, N. J. (2005). ''On Work and War: The Words and Deeds of Dorothy Day and Simone Weil'' (Master's thesis, Page 8). Simon Fraser University, Graduate Liberal Studies Program. While many Catholic social action movements in the U.S. focused on issues like

public morality Public morality refers to moral and ethical standards enforced in a society, by law or police work or social pressure, and applied to public life, to the content of the media, and to conduct in public places. Public morality often means reg ...

parochial school A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...

s, and

birth control Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

, the Catholic Worker took a different approach. Since its first edition in May 1933, the Catholic Worker has discussed topics such as

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...

pacifism Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ...

sweatshop A sweatshop or sweat factory is a cramped workplace with very poor and/or illegal working conditions, including little to no breaks, inadequate work space, insufficient lighting and ventilation, or uncomfortably or dangerously high or low temperat ...

political corruption Political corruption is the use of powers by government officials or their network contacts for illegitimate private gain. Forms of corruption vary but can include bribery, lobbying, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, parochialism, patronage, influen ...

labor unions A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

antisemitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

, and Catholic social theory. The readership increased significantly, and by September 1933, Day and Maurin were printing 20,000 papers. By 1935, the circulation of the Catholic Worker had risen to 110,000. And would reach 150,000 by 1936.

World War II and Pacifist Stance (1939–1945)

During World War II, the newspaper maintained a relatively high circulation, but it decreased due to its pacifist stance. This stance led to internal conflicts within the movement. By 1938, the paper's circulation had grown to 190,000. However, Dorothy Day's commitment to pacifism caused circulation to drop to 50,000 during the war. In her position, Day strongly opposed antisemitism and fascism. However, she also criticized the Allies during World War II for failing to acknowledge the presence of Christ in their adversaries or to recognize God's existence amidst evil. Day believed that all U.S. citizens carried culpability before God for events like those in

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...

. She argued that standing in solidarity with all individuals, whether they be poor, allies, or enemies, as part of the mystical

body of Christ In Christian theology, the term Body of Christ () has two main but separate meanings: it may refer to Jesus Christ's words over the bread at the celebration of the Jewish feast of Passover that "This is my body" in (see Last Supper), or it ...

, also entails sharing responsibility for their actions.

Post-War Period and Consistent Circulation (1946-1950s)

Following Maurin's passing in 1949, Dorothy Day assumed leadership of the movement and continued to serve as the editor of its newspaper. During the 1950s and 1960s, Dorothy Day's engagement with labor issues diminished as her attention shifted towards pacifism and disarmament advocacy. Her commitment to nonviolence prompted her to actively protest against the nuclear arms race, the Korean War, and other major conflicts of the time. By the 1950s, Day and fellow Catholic Workers believed that mere verbal opposition to war and militarism was insufficient. They felt compelled to personally engage and take responsibility for their actions. Between 1955 and 1961, Catholic Workers in New York orchestrated acts of civil disobedience aimed at challenging the nuclear arms race, specifically targeting the compulsory annual air raid drills enforced by the Civil Defense Act.Engler, M. (2007, April 1). The Catholic Worker Movement: A Definition. Democracy Uprising. https://democracyuprising.com/2007/04/01/catholic-worker-movement/ Between 1947 and early 1960, circulation varied between 47,000 and 65,000 readers.

Later Years and Continued Advocacy (1960s-1998)

''The Catholic Worker'' covered the Civil rights movement in great depth as liturgically based social action. In 1950 it published a letter from Helen Caldwell Day Riley that led to her founding an African American Catholic Worker house in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1980, circulation became 100,000 readers. Day became increasingly reclusive, reducing her writing output and travel commitments. However, she remained involved in editing the newspaper until her death in 1980.

Modern Era (1998-present)

''The Catholic Worker'' maintains a price of one penny per copy, ensuring affordability for all readers. Additionally, an annual subscription is available for 25 cents, with seven issues distributed throughout the year. However, foreign subscriptions are priced at 30 cents. In both 2020 and 2022, the Catholic Worker maintained around 20,000 mail subscribers. Additionally, the collective movement has expanded significantly from its origins as a newspaper and a single small house in New York to encompassing 187 communities in a decentralized network, collaborating with numerous partners worldwide.Loughery, J. (2020, June 17). The Unlikely Catholic Activist Who Believed in Civil Disobedience 'Animated by Love'. Zocalo Public Square. Retrieved from https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2020/06/17/dorothy-day-catholic-activist-civil-disobedience-martin-gugino/ideas/essay/ According to ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...

'', as of May 2023, it has approximately 26,000 subscribers. According to managing editor Joanne Kennedy, they continue to manually lay out the paper instead of using digital software. Additionally, they have consciously opted against having a website or email. They have deliberately abstained from releasing a digital edition of the newspaper. Amanda W. Daloisio serves as the co-managing editor of The Catholic Worker. The development of CatholicWorker.org, a website not officially affiliated with the movement but created by Jim Allaire to serve as a digital hub for Catholic Worker communities. Despite initial skepticism within the movement about embracing technology, platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become avenues for outreach, connecting younger generations with the movement's values of social justice and hospitality.

Notable contributors

There are some notable figures associated with The Catholic Worker (New York) newspaper which include the following: *

– Founder and editor * Peter Maurin – Founder and editor * Ade Bethune – Designed the early masthead *

Ammon Hennacy Ammon Ashford Hennacy (July 24, 1893 – January 14, 1970) was an American Christian pacifist, anarchist, Wobbly, social activist, and member of the Catholic Worker Movement. He established the Joe Hill House of Hospitality in Salt Lake City ...

– 1953 Associate Editor *

Daniel Berrigan Daniel Joseph Berrigan (May 9, 1921 – April 30, 2016) was an American Jesuit priest, anti-war activist, Christian pacifist, playwright, poet, and author. Berrigan's protests against the Vietnam War earned him both scorn and admiratio ...

– Proclaimed to be a notable figure of the paper * Fritz Eichenberg – Frequently contributed illustrations *

Jacques Maritain Jacques Maritain (; 18 November 1882 – 28 April 1973) was a French Catholic philosopher. Raised as a Protestant, he was agnostic before converting to Catholicism in 1906. An author of more than 60 books, he helped to revive Thomas Aqui ...

– Proclaimed to be a notable figure of the paper * Judith Gregory – Dorothy Day's legal executor * Karl Meyer – Editor and activist * Micheal Harrington – Editor from 1951 to 1953 *

Thomas Merton Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915December 10, 1968), religious name M. Louis, was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, Christian mysticism, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion. He was a monk in the Trapp ...

– Wrote articles about Indigenous peoples in America * Tom Cornell – Writer and editor, joined in 1953

Reception

''The Catholic Worker'' is considered a Christian anarchist publication.

Early reception

During the early stages of the Catholic Worker movement, there was some resistance among average Catholics in America to embrace the movement and its said alignment with Church teachings. This sentiment coincided with a broader societal apprehension towards anything resembling Communism, particularly during the era of the Red Scare. Observers, including many Catholics, were skeptical of the Catholic Worker's houses of hospitality, finding it challenging to reconcile the voluntary poverty embraced by its members with traditional Christian teachings.

References

Sources

External links

The Catholic Worker Movement

Maurin, Day, the Catholic Worker, and Anarcho-Distributism
by Nicholas Evans 2018 {{Authority control Catholic Worker Movement Newspapers published in New York City Catholic newspapers published in the United States Newspapers established in 1933 Anarchist newspapers 1933 establishments in New York City Catholicism and far-left politics Dorothy Day es:Movimiento del Trabajador Católico#Pensamiento