[Announce] The 75th Anniversary of the Catholic Worker Movement

[Robert Waldrop]

http://www.justpeace.org/onpilgrimage.htm 

May 1, 2008
The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May Day, and the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the Catholic Worker Movement

On this day, 75 years ago, Dorothy Day and the other early Catholic Workers distributed the first edition of the Catholic Worker newspaper at May Day rallies in New York City, thereby causing scandal to both the Church AND the Communists. And I think that has been pretty much true of us ever since.

On one hand, people always say "nice things" about the Catholic Worker solidarity with the poor and devotion to the corporal works of mercy. But on the other hand, when we begin to ask why these people are hungry in the first place - or why the bishops are "praising with faint condemnation" an unjust war - some of those same people are a bit uncomfortable. I've been told that our support for immigrants and labor unions and our opposition to the war was "costing us donations". Maybe so, but for going on nine years now, in our own little community, we have nearly always had enough food on hand to meet the requests we receive for food assistance. We don't publish our paper or almanac as often as I'd like, but that is more of a matter of time than it is money. We give thanks to God and all the saints for the providence which gives us the bread we have to share with the hungry.

This understanding of the connection between word and deed, justice and charity, has always been an essential aspect of our charism. I can't speak for any other Catholic Workers, only myself, and I know in my own life I have only made the barest beginning of understanding the depths of the Catholic Worker charism. I keep wanting to find more time to reflect on that, but it seems that another one of the essential aspects of the Catholic Worker charism is busy-ness. I took the day off from work today, and my intentions were to go to Mass and write this essay early in the AM, and finish planting the garden. But today was also the opening of the May order for the Oklahoma Food Cooperative, and I bet 30 people phoned me today. So here I sit, nearly 10 PM, I didn't make it to Mass, I did get some planting done, but not as much as I had hoped. 

One of those calls was pretty interesting, however, it was from a member of the Teamster's Union down in Lawton who found us on the internet and called us up and maybe I'll go down there and speak and he'll come up here and volunteer and who knows where this little seed will end up. Lawton is the home of Ft. Sill, and I saw James Branum at Rev. Lance Schmitz's ordination as a Nazarene minister last Monday, and he said he was thinking about starting a house of hospitality in Lawton for the many soldiers that are coming to him for legal assistance in establishing their conscientious objector status. I told him we'd help. 

This of course is the on-going narrative of the Catholic Worker movement. In a hierarchal church, we are conspicuous by our lack of hierarchy. I remember calling Brother Louis at the Holy Family Catholic Worker House in Kansas City, and asking him, "Who do I ask permission from to start a Catholic Worker house?" He said, "God." I said, "No, I mean, is there someone in the Catholic Worker movement in charge of authorizing new houses?" He said, "No. Every house is autonomous and thus responsible for its own work. If I give you permission, then I am responsible. But our way is that you are responsible. We will of course pray for you." 

No one could plan all this. The charism of the Catholic Worker could be called "spontaneous order", except that the fact of this matter is an up-swelling of the Holy Spirit into life, a supernatural reality as vivid as the birth of a new baby. It is an outbreak of Beauty, Wisdom, Justice, and Truth. It is sacramental grace in the midst of daily reality. It is the Shekinah - the fiery glory of God that led the Children of Israel through the desert and rested upon the Tabernacle and the Temple. 

The charism of the Catholic Worker is the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ in daily life, where water is changed into wine, the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk. Sometimes it is unutterably sad, and it is a sadness that penetrates your being and seems for a moment to suffuse all of Creation, the tears flow without ceasing. But it is also Joy, and it is an "Alleluia" that can also fill all of Creation -- the hills clapping and the valleys leaping, the trees and bushes singing, and all creatures praising. 

The charism of the Catholic Worker is zeal that fills all with a desire for justice and peace that burns with impatience in the very core of your soul. And it is the patient understanding of the farmer, who knows that seedtime and cultivation must come before the harvest. It is the wisdom of mothers -- giving birth in pain, empowered with strength, loving and hoping, at all times and in all circumstances giving thanks to God.. And it is the understanding of fathers -- patient, protective, persistent. The charism of the Catholic Worker is solidarity - not as some kind of a pious item to be checked off a list -- but as an actual lived reality, where the spiritual and corporal works of mercy are daily opportunities to meet and minister to Christ, even if He happens to be wearing one of his more distressing disguises..

It's a lot of hard work and manual labor and the occasional personal drama too, but all the rest of it makes the manual labor and personal dramas go easier. 

I guess the words on Dorothy Day's tombstone describe it better than anything I can say - Deo Gratias!

Let us all give thanks today and tomorrow and all the days thereafter for the 75 years of ministry of the Catholic Worker movement. Let us pray that we will stay strong in this work, and will always listen to the Word of God which calls and guides us on this pilgrimage. Let us pray for peace, justice, and hope, and also that we will finish building the new structures that will be needed before the old ones come crashing down around us.

PRAYERS FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE CATHOLIC WORKER MOVEMENT

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give thanks and praise to you for the 75 years of ministry of the Catholic Worker movement. Help us to remain strong in this work. Open our hearts and minds and souls so that we will always listen to your Word which calls us and guides us on this pilgrimage. We pray for peace, justice and hope; prudence, fortitude and mercy; love, joy, and beauty. Help us walk with authenticity and wisdom through the tumultuous days which are upon us. These blessings we ask through the intercession of Mary the Most Holy Mother of God, in the name of your Son our Lord, Amen.

St Joseph the Worker, Help us to finish building all these new structures that will be needed, before the old ones come crashing down around our heads. Amen.

St. Dorothy Day and St. Peter Maurin, Here we are, 75 years later, your spiritual children, the Catholic Workers. Thank you for setting us on this path and for the authenticity of your lives and ministry. In our time of need, walk with us every step of the way. When we feel weak and want to quit, give us your strength. Keep us focused on the inherent dignity of every human being. May our houses always be places of hospitality, justice, mercy, and solidarity. Help us to save the world with Beauty, Cult, Culture, and Cultivation. Amen.

Bob Waldrop

Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House

1524 NW 21, Oklahoma City 73106, 405-613-4688


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