From D.C. to Brisbane, CWs Speak Up for Gazans
CWers in L.A., D.C., Duluth, St. Louis, and Brisbane act on Gaza. Also: Denver CW closes; Michael Bremmer offers stories of hope; an interview with Marc Ellis; and the story of 'Indian' corn.
How to Prepare for the End of the World
Years ago, missionaries used to come to our door to invite us to join their sect: Mormons, Assemblies of God, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Evangelicals. One fine Saturday morning, I was working in the front yard when a man in a beautiful blue and gray suit stopped by.
Do you know the end of the world is imminent? he asked.
I did not, I replied.
Well it is, he said, and if I had some time, he could tell me what I could do to save myself and my family.
I sat down on the cement stoop and pointed to a busy intersection nearby. See over there? I asked. My wife was hit by a garbage truck as she crossed that road in a snowstorm this past March. And over yonder a few blocks, a friend of mine fell to the ground from a heart attack, and he would’ve died if his son hadn’t been home from college for the weekend.
As far as I’m concerned, I said, the end of the world has always been right around the corner.
Christianity is a fundamentally boring religion, in that the plan of action really doesn’t change much whether you’re doing yard work on a sunny Saturday morning or you’re living through one of those hard times when the world is falling apart around you. Either way, you have the same mission: How do I best love the person in front of me, here and now?
Or, if you want to fancy it up a bit: How am I going to live this day that I have been given in a way that produces the most love, the most beauty, the most goodness possible?
A lot of people have been talking about the “end of the world,” so to speak, since November 5. Coincidentally, we’re hearing a lot about the end times in the Gospel readings lately as we approach the end of the Church year. What distinguishes the secular warnings from Jesus’ warning is how each message calls us to respond. The secular political world calls us to a complicated, often fear-driven, response.
Jesus, on the other hand, calls us to recommit to that same old “boring” mission.
This week’s edition is full of stories of Catholic Workers who, post-election, are going about the work of love and mercy not that much differently than before. How boring…but in a wonderful, hopeful way.
—Jerry
P.S. By the way, if you skipped a week, you missed our announcement about a slight change of format. The TL;DR: We’re now sending out longer pieces in their entirety in a separate edition on Thursday that we’re calling CW Reads, leaving more space in this edition for pictures and shorter news items. You can sign up for the Thursday edition by changing your Roundtable subscription settings on your Substack account.
P.P.S. Monica Welch’s mother passed away peacefully, with Monica at her side, this past week. Monica, as you might remember, has been brightening up the newsletter with her art for the past few months. Please keep her family in prayer.
THE ROUNDUP
Featured
A Longtime CW Shares Stories of Hope. At the Catholic Worker National Gathering, longtime Catholic Worker Michael Bremmer shared stories from forty years of doing the works of mercy. Speaking on the opening night of the national gathering, Bremmer told about his years at St. Francis Catholic Worker House, surrounded by an eccentric (but lovable) cast of characters who made the house their home, from a dumpster-diving PhD to a Jewish woman named Love who could often be heard singing Christian hymns (in the third person). Bremmer also discussed his time with Witness for Peace in Nicaragua, his civil disobedience at the site of the ELF facility in northern Wisconsin, his participation in a Voices in the Wilderness delegation defying U.S. sanctions on Iraq, and his confrontation of Colin Powell at an event attended by 800 people. “When I turned around, I was surrounded by members of the Secret Service who calmly instructed me that Tim and I would be escorted out for my own safety and that of Mr. Powell,” Bremmer recalled. “And given the state of the crowd jeering at us, I was glad to see them there.” Read the text of his talk in Thursday’s edition of Roundtable: Living Toward a 'Marvelous Victory': Scenes from a Catholic Worker Life.
A reminder that you can receive the Thursday edition of Roundtable by going to your Substack account settings, then clicking on Subscriptions. Simply check the toggle to receive the extra edition.
Denver Catholic Worker to Close. The Denver Catholic Worker, founded in July 1978, has announced it will close, according to a letter sent to fellow Catholic Workers by Jennifer Haines and Sr. Anna Koop, both of whom have been with the community from the beginning. “For years the two of us old-timers have been doing everything we could to find or create a way forward that would survive our own mortal selves,” the pair wrote. Despite opening a second house in 2022 and attempting to find long-term Catholic Workers to take over, nothing has panned out. “We ourselves are rapidly approaching the point when we'll have to retire, without any co-workers to whom we can pass on the vision and work.” The pair have partnered with Angelica Village, a vibrant community with young leadership and similar values, to provide for the Denver CW’s current guests. The Catholic Worker house itself will be rented to a low-income family through Emmaus Housing. Read the letter from Jennifer Haines and Sr. Anna Koop at CatholicWorker.org, or read a 2018 profile of the community with photos at Denverite.com.
Hildegard House Explores Direct Aid to Gaza. Hildegard House Catholic Worker (Duluth, Minnesota) has taken up Garry Jones’ invitation to provide direct support for Palestinians living in Gaza. Michele Naar-Obed of Hildegard House describes the initiative not as charity, but as relationship-building that enables direct communication and support between communities. “What’s so appealing to me, and I'm hoping will appeal to others, is that this is not like writing a check and giving it to some kind of aid group,” Naar-Obed said, noting that Israel has been holding up aid destined for Gaza. “This is a direct connection, very much in keeping with the Catholic Worker (tradition).” The Duluth community's efforts are part of a broader initiative proposed by Garry Jones connecting communities in affluent countries directly to communities in Gaza. While still in its early stages, Hildegard House is exploring partnerships with local Palestine solidarity groups. Read the full story as well as an essay by Yusef at CatholicWorker.org. If you missed our previous coverage of this initiative, find it in our Nov. 3 edition.
Community News & Newsletters
Dorothy’s Birthday Marked by Peace Vigil. The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker (Washington, D.C.) organized a prayerful witness near the White House on Nov. 9, the day following Dorothy Day’s birthday. Twenty-one participants read scripture, shared quotes from Dorothy Day, and prayed for peace, with a focus on ending U.S. complicity with Israel’s attacks on the people of Gaza. “Now more than ever we need to live and boldly proclaim God's reign of love, justice, peace, and Gospel Nonviolence as we seek to help create the Beloved Community,” Art Laffin said, according to prepared remarks he shared by e-mail. The vigil concluded with the Lord’s Prayer and singing, joined by four Muslim women who expressed solidarity.
Los Angeles Catholic Worker Holds Vigil for Palestine. The Los Angeles Catholic Worker joined Catholics for Palestine and 55 supporters for a vigil outside Our Lady Queen of Angels Cathedral on Nov. 3. The event called on the Archdiocese “to break its silence on the GENOCIDE in Gaza, the West Bank, and the bombing of Lebanon, and call other Catholics to join us in standing with Palestine,” according to a post at the L.A. Catholic Worker website. The vigil included songs, scripture readings, personal reflections, and a symbolic string bearing the names of 44 Palestinian children who have died, which participants carried into the Cathedral while lighting votive candles. Photos of the vigil are available at Catholics for Palestine Vigil.
Winona Catholic Worker Reflects on the Legacy of Fr. Dan Corcoran. During a roundtable discussion at the Winona Catholic Worker, Sr. Monessa Overby shared memories of Fr. Dan Corcoran, the Newman Center chaplain at Winona State University whose example inspired the community’s founding in 1992. Overby, who worked alongside Fr. Dan as a campus minister from 1977 to 1984, reflected on his life of service and its profound impact on students and the wider Winona community. Fr. Dan was deeply influenced by the Catholic Worker, so it was appropriate that the Winona Catholic Worker’s first house of hospitality was named in his honor. ““Dan’s life was countercultural,” Overby said. “When he moved to Winona, he put in wood stoves and biked around town to save resources…. There was always an extra bowl of soup or a bed (at the Newman Center) for someone in need.” Watch a video of the roundtable on YouTube.
Brisbane CW Hosts Screening of Film Documenting Palestinian Plight. The Brisbane Catholic Worker screened an extended cut of the film Light, a documentary about the Israeli occupation of Hebron, for 70 attendees on Nov. 2; the screening was followed by a discussion with the film’s director, Ahmad Abu Monshar, according to an Instagram post by Community Peacemaker Teams-Palestine, sponsor of the film. You can learn more about the film and watch a trailer at CPT.org.
Corn Gets a ‘Bad Rap,’ Says Ozark Foothills CW. “Saving corn seed for genetic preservation is a more involved process than in many other plants, but we are learning,” Ozark Foothills Catholic Worker (Missouri) writes in their latest Instagram post, which offers a mini-lesson on the history of corn cultivation in the Americas. “Oh, and ‘Indian corn?’ It's not just for decoration—we're gonna eat this stuff!”
Le Dorothy Announces 2024-2025 Events. The Le Dorothy Catholic Worker in Paris has unveiled its 2024-2025 program, centered on the theme of “Political Fraternity.” Highlights include a January cycle on the “New Global Disorder” exploring U.S.-China relations and decolonial perspectives. The schedule also features reflections on prayer, including its spiritual experience (November) and its role in everyday life (December). In April and May, the “Literature and Spiritual Experience” cycle will delve into Catholic literary figures and the meaning of sanctity. If you read French (or have a good translator), you can get the schedule on their Facebook page.
Updates from the Loaves and Fishes Community. The latest newsletter from the Loaves and Fishes Catholic Worker community (Duluth, Minnesota) includes many updates on the happenings at their houses of hospitality, including Dorothy Day House, Bread and Roses, Hannah House, and Olive Branch. Hannah House welcomed two new children for long-term care this past summer, Chelsea Froemke writes; this past spring, the Froemkes took a family road trip to Florida to visit two kids who had lived with them for two years “We had a fabulous time with them (and now are enjoying their presence here in Duluth as they visit family this summer) and we’re reminded after every visit how important it is for all of us to maintain the special relationship with these two kids (teenagers!?)!” The Bike Cave, the community’s bike repair shop, experienced a surge in activity, repairing more than 100 bikes for “adoption” by August. Read more at Loaves and Fishes.
CW in the News
The Lost Prophets Podcast Interviews Marc Ellis. The Lost Prophets Podcast has posted its interview with Marc Ellis, the Jewish theologian whose work often intersected with the Catholic Worker; Ellis died in June. “The prophetic was surely the great theme of Marc’s work, beginning in 1974, when an encounter with Dorothy Day in Tallahassee convinced him to spend a year living at the main Catholic Worker house in New York,” podcast hosts Elias Crim and Pete Davis write. “He next moved to graduate school at Marquette University in Milwaukee. For his thesis he chose to write on the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, Peter Maurin. Marc was also affiliated for a time with the Maryknoll School of Theology, a home of liberation theology, where he said he discovered the prophetic.” Listen to the interview at Lost Prophets.
New Documentary Highlights Dorothy Day House’s Work with Berkeley’s Homeless. Dorothy’s Way, a 40-minute documentary produced by Berkeley Community Media, showcases the transformative work of the Dorothy Day House (DDH) in Berkeley, California. Named after Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day, the nonprofit serves over 550 people—more than half of Berkeley’s homeless population—through shelter, meals, and personalized support. The film highlights DDH’s success in building trust and helping people transition from homelessness, as well as initiatives like “Dorothy’s Closet,” a thrift shop benefiting the homeless. The video is available online for a small donation supporting DDH at Berkely Community Media. Read about the documentary in the East Bay Express.
Commonweal, Celebrating 100 Years, Reflects on CW Ties. As part of its centennial celebration, Commonweal magazine has republished a piece by Patrick Jordan in the latest issue of The Catholic Worker reflecting on the ties between the two publications. “The bond between The Catholic Worker and Commonweal…became apparent almost immediately, based on their common interest in the Church’s teaching on the Mystical Body of Christ as manifest in the liturgy and its concomitant social implications. Both publications were influenced by Virgil Michel, OSB. But there were other writers the two shared from their earliest days: G.K. Chesterton, Jacques Maritain, Nicholas Berdyaev, H.A. Reinhold, to name only a few.” Read “The Ties That Bind” at Commonweal.
Maurin’s Social Vision Addresses ‘Polycrises’ of Our Time. September’s Peter Maurin Conference in Chicago was most notable for “its gathering of oft-siloed groups for an engagement with enduring questions,” writes Jeromiah Taylor in the Nov. 12 issue of National Catholic Reporter. “Urgency was palpable at the conference, largely due to what Today's American Catholic called the ‘polycrises’ of our time, against which Maurin’s social vision takes high relief,” Taylor writes. Gen Z attendees in particular were “hungry for a new repertoire of resistance for the digital age.” Read more at NCR.
Revisiting “Entertaining Angels.” For his Nov. 8 Catholic Movie Club pick in America magazine, John Dougherty points readers to the 1996 biopic, Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story. Readers who are unfamiliar with the movie can read his summary at America or stream the movie on Roku or YouTube.
Podcast Explores Dorothy Day’s Legacy as a Catholic Worker Icon. The podcast A Bacik Conversation featured a discussion on Dorothy Day in its Nov. 11 episode, highlighting her profound influence on American Catholicism. Fr. Bacik and Brad Reiger traced her journey from socialist activism to founding the Catholic Worker Movement alongside Peter Maurin. The episode underscored Day’s commitment to the Works of Mercy, her total pacifism—even during World War II—and her emphasis on personal and systemic change. Catch the podcast on YouTube.
WORDS FROM THE ELDERS
“The story of the Good Samaritan was enacted yesterday morning…”
by Dorothy Day in the New York Call, April 19, 1917
The story of the Good Samaritan was enacted yesterday morning, not on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, but on 19th street between Second and Third avenues.
A man who said his name was John Smith was sitting on one of the doorsteps in the sun, crying softly. There was a sort of dead look on his face, and tears dribbled down his withered cheeks. Every once in a while one could see him gulp spasmodically. He had no collar on, and his shirt was ragged.
First, a well-dressed man stopped. “’Smatter? Yuh sick?”
The old man muttered something about being out of work, and the well-dressed man went on.
Women Don’t Even Look
Then a woman and her daughter, dressed in light and colored raiment bought only a week before to celebrate Easter, passed. They turned their heads the other way. Spring always brings so many of these poor fellows out. It seems they were always sitting on the doorsteps in the sun, making people feel uncomfortable.
Next, a ragged derelict, who looked as though some force in the warm spring had led him to wander up to 19th street from Park Row, shuffled past. Seeing the man on the step, he paused. He, too, asked what was the matter.
Three Days’ Fast
“I haven’t eaten for three days,” the old man said. “And I’m just four weeks over from England. I thought that I could get work over here. But I can’t. I’m too old, they say. I thought that there would be work here because this country was at peace. And, then, as soon as I get here, war is declared.
“There are no jobs in England now. They won’t give the young men work. They have to enlist. And they won’t give the old men work, because they can get plenty of young women to do it.”
The ragged Bowery habitué dug into his pocket and pulled out a dime. There was no noise of clinking coins as he did so. “Here,” he said, “this’ll get you a bite to eat and a drink. Cheer up!” Smith did not want to take the money, but the other slipped it into his pocket and left while Smith rumbled after it.
He was reluctant to tell his story. All he would say at first was that he was out of work, that he was just over from England and that he was hungry.
Son Enlisted Early
Then he told of his son, who had been one of the first to go to the front. He never came back. He was never heard from. And there was a wife and family left for the government to care for. They weren’t doing it, as far as he could see. The wife had to keep right on working, and the children had to be taken care of in a nursery during the day. When she got home at night, she washed their clothes and mended them and cleaned the tiny rooms. Her thoughts were always shooting out through the black, thick city to Somewhere in France where he had been.
The old man couldn’t bear to stay there, bringing not a cent to the support of the family. He couldn’t bear to feel that he was a drag on the brave little woman. She wasn’t his own daughter, anyway. So, between them, they raked together the passage money and nothing else, and John Smith came to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
As he shuffled down the street to the nearest saloon where he could get a bite of free lunch with the drink that was to cheer him up, a hand organ with posters begging men to enlist, to join the navy, jangled out with false joy: “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.”
“Yes,” said Smith, “it’s a long, long way, indeed.”
Roundtable covers the Catholic Worker Movement. This week’s Roundtable was produced by Jerry Windley-Daoust.
Roundtable is an independent publication not associated with the New York Catholic Worker or The Catholic Worker newspaper. Send inquiries to roundtable@catholicworker.org.
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I cannot for the life of me figure out how to access the Thursday subscription in the app. Could someone please help??