If you would like to learn more about Dorothy Day, the woman who started the Catholic Worker movement, this short biography is a good place to start. As the author puts it, "She is a beautiful, complicated person. Just like all of us."
Dorothy did not do anything halfway. In her early years she sympathized with communist and leftist causes and participated in demonstrations. Sometimes she was arrested. But God was calling her, and she could not deny the call. After her conversion, she remained a radical, and lived out her faith with the same commitment she had always given to her ideals of mercy and justice. She is best known for her newspaper, The Catholic Worker, and the houses of hospitality which she established.
This book focuses on Dorothy's relationship and work with Peter Maurin, a French social activist and theologian. Together they accomplished things that neither would have done alone. He was a man of ideas, and Dorothy had the energy and practical know how to turn those ideas into action. They didn't always agree but respected and accepted one another.
The author, at times, applies the lessons of Dorothy's life to her own. As an ESOL teacher who has worked extensively with immigrants, Dorothy's stance on social justice and poverty resonates deeply with her.
VERDICT: 4 STARS. An easy and informative read. Even if you disagree with some of Dorothy's political views, you must admire her perseverance in living her faith in an authentic way.
For more about Dorothy Day see these posts:
Duty of Delight (the Diaries of Dorothy Day) edited by Robert Ellsberg –Book Review
Dorothy Day on Giving
A Quote by Dorothy Day
No comments:
Post a Comment