Matt Croft

The Displaced person

Dorothy Day 60 point paper
11/29/16

Dorothy Day is an outstanding person to study in our displaced person class. She

displays all the qualities of a true American catholic worker. Throughout her life and her

writings we can see many examples of sacramentality, mediation, and communion. She also

had a lot to teach on human dignity truly living by the motto treat others as you want to be

treated. Dorothy lived her whole life as a displaced person but knew deep down that it was her

calling to help the less fortunate.

Sacramentality is clearly present in Dorothys life, while there are many examples of it

Ill give the one of her choosing to join the church and have her daughter baptized even though

she knew that Forester would leave her. This is an example of sacramentality because she

knows that bad that will come with doing this, however she also knows that she cannot let her

daughter grow up and make the same mistakes she made. I knew that I was not going to have

her floundering through many years as I had done, doubting and hesitating, undisciplined and

amoral. I felt it was the greatest thing I could do for my child (The Long Loneliness page 136).

This quote I think puts into perspective the good she saw in getting her child baptized and that

good along with her own calling to the catholic social movement made the pros outweigh the

cons for her.

In Dorothys The Long Loneliness she talks about something Peter had talked about

called the art of human contacts She described this as seeing Christ in others. I think this is a
good example of sacramentality as well because no matter what one person does, one must

have faith to see Christ in that person. Greater than this, it was having faith in the Christ in

others without being able to see Him. Blessed is he that believes without seeing.(Page 171).

The way I interpreted this quote was that even though it can be hard to see Christ within

certain people, but having faith that he is in there is even greater than knowing he is present

within that person.

Dorothy was a mediator for many people in her life, this could be because of her

selflessness to the poor and those in need. Dorothy was a mediator for the poor fighting for

what Christ spoke about, that being not an equal wage but a livable wage. He spoke of the

living wage, not equal pay for equal work, in the parable of those who came at the first and

eleventh hour.(In Fields and Factories pg. 235). One other large group of people Dorothy was a

mediator for was all Catholics that read her Catholic Worker. This is an example of mediation

because she is calling on all Catholics who were predominantly poor and accepted that. Also

Catholics were the poor, and most of them had little ambition or hope of bettering their

condition or further education for their children.(In Fields and Factories pg. 237). The worker

for many people was a voice telling them that God doesnt want this for them and that they

need to fight for a better life.

In a sense Dorothy created her own community after co-founding the American catholic

worker movement. Community- that was the social answer to the long loneliness. That was

one of the attractions of religious life and why couldnt lay people share in it?(The Long

Loneliness pg. 224). This was the foundation of Peters idea for people not have not only

personal property but also communal property. Peter had two big things and that was work and
community and he knew work was needed for a community to prosper. The catholic worker

farms where formed and this led to another community that Dorothy and Peter had a large part

in. Another family from Upton was burned out, and came to live in the original farmhouse,

now used for guests. They have decided to join the community and build. (The Long Loneliness

pg. 233). The farms are one of Dorothys long lasting accomplishments that still survives today.

Dorothy was a huge activist in her fight for human rights and human dignity. In

Dorothys writing Labor she states We felt respect for the poor and destitute as those nearest

to God, as those chosen by Christ for His compassion.(Page 235). Dorothy and many others felt

a sense of guilt and responsibility that they were somehow living on the labor of others. She

states later on that the popes have hit the nail on the head. No man my outrage with

impunity that human dignity which God Himself treats with reverence. Religion teaches the

rich man and the employer that their work people are not their slaves; that they must respect

in every man his dignity as a man and as a Christian; that labor is an honorable employment:

and that it is shameful and inhuman to treat men like chattels to make money by, or to look

upon them merely as so much muscle or physical power.(In Fields and Factories Pg. 242).

The thing I think is most useful of Dorothys teachings that can be used in the 21st

century is that of treating people with basic human dignity and respect. Often times I think now

since everything is so computerized that people often miss the humanity behind it all. It is much

easier to be rude and nasty during an online talk compared to in person and people hide behind

this. There are still many cases in todays society where people are discriminated against

because of their skin color or profession and are treated like lower class citizens because of it.

Dorothys and Peters teachings show there is nobility in work, no matter what it is you are
doing as long as you contribute positively work and community are the keys to the long

loneliness.