Dorothy Day was a radical Catholic social change activist, widely considered one of the great Catholic lay leaders of the 20th century. Co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement and the publication that became its voice, she worked indefatigably to promote peace, social justice, non-violence, and direct aid to the poor and destitute.
Early in her life she was a journalist for The Call and The Masses and was arrested demonstrating for women’s suffrage in 1917. With her conversion to Catholicism and initiation of the Catholic Worker, her activism manifested in Christian voluntary poverty and direct works of mercy. More than 100 Catholic Worker communities and Houses of Hospitality were founded across the U.S. and abroad. Then and now these houses offer food, clothing and shelter to those in need.
Day resolutely resisted war and war preparations inclusive of nuclear testing and armament for over half a century. Spear-heading the Catholic Worker, she led the movement in supporting peace, civil rights, worker rights and women’s rights through prayer, publications, organizing, demonstrating, and educating.
