Catholic Workers Labor for the Peaceable Kingdom on Earth
Inside: Catholic Workers build resilient communities through building relationships; the final part of Christian nonviolence series; remembering Don Timmerman & more
The Enduring Labor of Love
Griffon Games is about a fifteen-minute walk from our house on South Saint Joseph Street. It sits on the corner of Main and Colfax, just across the way from Fiddler’s Hearth, a South Bend favorite where you will surely find Catholic Workers playing the bodhrán or button accordion on a Monday night. As one of the oldest continuously running dedicated game stores in the country, Griffon’s is a historic staple of South Bend. I walked in with the sole intention of perusing the shelves, and ended up walking out with an edition of Stratego as old as the shop itself, a lightly used Wingspan and a secondhand copy of Karl Rahner’s “Foundations of Christian Faith.” Little did I know, it would not be light reading.
On the very first page of the introduction, Rahner shares that he sets out to arrive at an idea of Christianity in the book. He emphasizes that the word “idea” is added to make clear that we are dealing “with an idea and all that [it] demands in the sense of Hegel’s ‘Anstrengung des Begriffs’”. Rather than try to pronounce the German phrase, I looked it up. “Anstrengung des Begriffs,” or, the “effort or exertion of the concept” means putting in the patient, laborious effort required for “conceptual thinking.”
This “exertion of the concept” shows up in many aspects of living, and most especially in the life of a Catholic Worker. Members of communities make sacrifices: some commit civil acts of disobedience, and others remain in the home to sustain the labor of hospitality. There are those with garden beds to tend to, sprawling vines of people to accompany in an urban jungle, and musings and meals to be shared at the dinner table. There is a labor of love that cannot merely be captured by words on a page, and yet the words themselves commit to the dutiful work of meaning-making.
On Friday, we stopped our car in the middle of the beloved South Saint Joseph Street and prayed over our Catholic Worker neighbor as she prepared to move to New York with her husband. She will soon be a mother, and seeing her beautiful belly reminded me of Dorothy’s stinging humor in Having a Baby. Dorothy looks down at her newly born daughter, Tamara Teresa and thinks to herself:
“Just now I must say she is a lazy little hog, mouthing around my nice full breast and too lazy to tug for food. What do you want, little bird? That it should run into your mouth, I suppose. But no, you must work for your provender already.”
Even as we enter into this world there is an “exertion of the concept”!
This Catholic Worker neighbor reminds me that an expression of the virtue of fortitude can be in endurance and persistence—in simply “showing up” every day. This continuous exertion, the perpetual grace of this labor is regularly at odds with the episodic and fleeting nature of human life. And yet, a baby will be born, a woman will be made a mother, and the pains of childbirth will melt into a labor of unconditional love.
This work is not dissimilar from the divine exertion we are called to as laborers in the vineyard. It is the non-violent revolution of Christ that Colin Miller shares in his theological essay. It is the necessary change made in response to the unprecedented challenges of this age that Michele Naar-Obed articulates so well in her article.
It is this “patient, laborious, and at times tedious reflection” (Rahner, “Foundations of Christian Faith”) that we must never take for granted. For it is in these small, persistent acts of love, that we bring about the greatest revolutions.
Brianna
Learn more about Brianna and the CatholicWorker.org editorial team here.
FEATURED
CWReads: Michele Naar-Obed on the Benedictine Community
For CWReads this week, Michele Naar-Obed writes “Building a Resilient Future with Benedictine and Catholic Worker Communities,” which captures the growing relationship between her community at Hildegard House and the Benedictine sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth, MN. As Michele takes time away from Hildegard House to live with the sisters and volunteer in their gardens, she reflects on the ways the two communities can complement each other’s work:
Speaking only for Hildegard House, our work is animated and guided by the Spirit. We are not secular in nature, we are not a nonprofit, nor do we operate by religious doctrine. We are spiritual in nature and we try to address the condition of our world through that lens. For this, we need community and help and so we are looking to the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery.
What that looks like in real terms is yet to be defined. As of now, we look to the Sisters for spiritual mentoring and they look to us to connect them to Christ in the marginalized. They infuse us with God’s mercy and justice through participating with them in communal prayer. We pour that out into our community. They have their spiritual gifts and talents. We have ours and together we just might be able to amplify God’s love in a world that is so deeply wounded.
Read the full article at CWReads.
CWReads: Colin Miller on Nonviolent Jesus-Part III
In the third and final installment of this series, Minnesota Catholic Worker Colin Miller continues to explore the history and implications of Jesus’ call to nonviolence:
Finally, because Christian nonviolence taps into the grain of the universe and strives to live in accord with God’s peace that is always already awaiting us, its tactics, some of which we saw above from the Sermon on the Mount, far from being hopelessly idealistic, are in fact the only ones that are realistic. Because Christian nonviolence is the human participation in God’s harmonious order, we refuse the way of violence not because its weapons are too strong, but because they are too weak. They are out of keeping with the way the world really is, and so they will never accomplish what they always seem to promise.
The really powerful weapons are precisely those Jesus specifies: turning the other cheek, loving enemies, prayer, suffering love, holy poverty, hospitality to the poor, martyrdom, alms, forgiveness, the works of mercy, community life, and the Mass itself.
Continue reading Part III on CW Reads.
If you missed them, Part I and Part II are also available.
COMMUNITY NEWS & NEWSLETTERS
Don Timmerman, Milwaukee Catholic Worker, Mourned and Remembered
Casa Maria Catholic Worker in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, mourns the loss of longtime community member Don Timmerman, who passed away from cancer on July 19th, 2026. In the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal, Lance Schulteis wrote of Timmerman that “His mission in life infused everything he did, whether it was finding shelter for the homeless, protesting violence and war, or modeling a life of intentional simplicity.” Schulteis described Timmerman’s final hours with friends and family:
The day before Timmerman’s passing, his family and friends gathered around him. For two hours, they gave him a concert of his favorite songs, pulled from a book of folk songs that was used in his weekly prayer services.
It was a tender and fitting role reversal for a man who was known for saying he wasn’t happy unless he was doing something for someone else.
Read the full article on Don Timmerman’s legacy at Milwaukee Sentinal Journal.
A lovingly written obituary is also available online at Church and Chapel.
Dandelion House Plans Peace Campout and Direct Action
Dandelion House of Portland, Oregon, will participate in a Peace Campout on August 8th at Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Poulsbo, Washington, with a protest and direct action planned the following day.
The two-day event commemorates the 81st anniversary of the nuclear detonation over Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, Japan and aims to be the largest protest at Bangor Base in over a decade. Before the planned August 9th action, organizers will offer workshops and nonviolence training followed by a talk from keynote speaker Abby Martin, director of “Earth’s Greatest Enemy."
More details and registration information can be found in the Dandelion House newsletter and on the event website.
Hartford Catholic Worker Shares Dispatch from Summer Camp and Summer Newsletter
The Hartford Catholic Worker’s summer newsletter has been published and shared with subscribers via email. The community’s weekly message to subscribers also shares that many of the community are currently at Camp Ahimsa in Voluntown, Connecticut with children from the neighborhood. In the meantime, they’ve had several friends of the community continue to care for the house while they are away at summer camp. Christopher Douçot reports that, despite summer deluges, the camp has been a hit. Campers have been visiting the beach, frequenting local swimming holes, and hiking. The summer issue of their newsletter features essays by Kate Hennessy on Dorothy Day; Jeffry Korgen on Dorothy Day and Batman, and an essay by Christopher Douçot on the rhythms of nature that are icons of the holy, despite the violent desecrations of the holy that abound in a war-filled world.
Read the full newsletter here.
Cleveland Catholic Worker Hosts University Students, Calls for Unity
The Cleveland Catholic Worker provided Roundtable with an update on their community. Although they are currently renting their communal house to a local housing organization, they continue to host bi-weekly potlucks at their storefront (4241 Lorain Avenue) on Sundays and Tuesdays at 6 p.m. In a recent newsletter, they shared Kate Campbell’s reflection on unity and encounter in a world polluted by division. They hosted university students on break from Creighton University and their storefront has also hosted a class by “Autonomous University for Political Education” for local organizers on “Understanding Capitalism.”
For those interested in volunteering for a shift or visiting the community’s storefront, they recommend contacting the point person for each shift, as follows:
FRI 3-5 p.m.: Brian Stefan-Szittai brian@irtfcleveland.org
SAT 9:30-11:30 a.m.: Tim Evans tmje2820@gmail.com
SUN 3-5 p.m.: Jean Kosmac kosmac.jean@gmail.com
MON 3:30-5 p.m.: Mike Fiala micfiala@sbcglobal.net
Read the newsletter here. Subscribe to the Cleveland Catholic Worker’s newsletter here.
CW IN THE MEDIA
Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker Witness of Peace Praised in Vatican Book
Pope Leo XIV continues to uphold the example of Dorothy Day’s witness for peace as he includes Day in the introduction to his book, “Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift.” Pope Leo writes,
Peace seeks witnesses. This anthology points this out to us with the strength of many faces. The figures mentioned, among them Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui, and Servants of God Giorgio La Pira and Dorothy Day, are emblematic of many men and women who fostered peace in first person, by overcoming the temptation of corruption, by helping the poor, by supporting diplomacy. Alongside renowned men and women, peace is embodied by “little-known protagonists” who followed their own conscience.
While this title is currently only available in Italian, a portion has been translated into English and is available at Vatican News.
Dorothy Day’s Role in Gravedigger Strike Remembered
Bill Miller of The Tablet examines Dorothy Day’s role in the New York gravediggers’ strike in 1949, including her dispute with Cardinal Spellman. When the staunchly anti-union, anti-Communist cardinal sought to break the strike using local seminarian labor, Dorothy Day responded with a letter advocating for the striking workers and reminding Spellman that, “It is easier for the great to give in than the poor.” Miller includes commentary from granddaughter Martha Hennessy, who helps locate Dorothy’s role in the politics of the time:
“With her transition from being a socialist journalist to being a Catholic convert, she saw and understood the suffering of the people,” Hennessy said of her grandmother. “She saw that the communists had a program to help them.
“But they were atheistic, lacking the spirituality that Catholic social teaching clearly had, based on the Gospel.”
The gravediggers understood the difference, Hennessy explained.
“They did not petition communists,” she added. “They petitioned Dorothy. She said that they came to her because The Catholic Worker was not a communist outfit.”
The full text of this article is available on The Tablet.
Dorothy Day’s Mysticism Launched Her into Action
The YouTube Channel St. Anthony’s Tongue introduces listeners to Dorothy Day as a mystic, deeply immersed in the love of God, and a practitioner of radical solidarity with the suffering of her fellow members of the Mystical Body of Christ. The host shares how Day’s mysticism took her into the streets, to stand against New York City’s air raid drills and acceptance of nuclear war, and drew her to defy the state.
Watch the full video here.
Dorothy Day’s Witness Considered in Analysis on James Talarico
How to square the Kingdom of God with American politics? Scout Brobst considers the difficult tightrope act of James Talarico and compares his political position with Day’s anarchist rejection of American statist politics. Brobst writes in The Baffler:
Dorothy Day understood this, which is why she refused to participate in traditional political activities like the vote, which alienated both religious and political allies. Hers was an uncompromising life, and her most essential beliefs made it impractical to work closely with either, who found her politics frustrating or her religious convictions oppressive. She might be best captured in a compliment she once paid to Hennacy, whom she described as having a “tenacity of purpose.”
Read the full essay at The Baffler
Dorothy Day Included in Video Series On Influential American Catholics
As the nation continues to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, the Archdiocese of New York produced a video highlighting Dorothy Day as an important American Catholic of the archdiocese who “helped shape the spiritual, cultural, and civic fabric of our nation.” She is noted for her “profound conversion, courageous faith, and radical love for Christ and the poor.” Other videos in the series include St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Archbishop John Hughes, and the Fighting 69th military unit.
View Dorothy’s video on the Archdiocese of New York Facebook
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Ozark Foothills Catholic Worker Farm to Host In-Person Roundtable Discussion on Magnifica Humanitas
Catawissa, MO — Ozark Foothills Catholic Worker will host an in-person roundtable discussion on Pope Leo’s recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. On Sunday, August 9. There will be a simple meal around 12:00 p.m, and the discussion will start at 1:00 p.m.
Learn more by signing up for the Ozark Foothills Catholic Worker Farm newsletter or visiting their CW.org page here.
SAVE THE DATE: Sugar Creek Catholic Worker Gathering
Sugar Creek, Iowa—The Midwest Catholic Worker Gathering at Sugar Creek, Iowa, will take place the weekend of September 10-13, 2026. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more information! You do not have to be living in an existing Catholic Worker community to attend.
SAVE THE DATE: “One Hundred Angels Delegation” to El Salvador
Frank Cordaro of the Des Moines Catholic Worker is organizing an eight-day delegation to El Salvador from October 11–19, 2026, in honor of Rev. Bob Cook, a good friend of the Des Moines Catholic Worker. They plan to bring a delegation of between five and 15 participants to visit the communities in El Salvador that Cook developed a relationship with—they plan to “visit rural communities, learn about ongoing water and infrastructure projects, share meals with local families, and experience the culture and beauty of El Salvador.” Cordaro shares that the purpose of the delegation is to “deepen relationships, witness the impact of community-driven projects, and continue the spirit of solidarity that Bob championed throughout his life.” Interested parties should reach out to Frank Cordaro at the email below to learn more: frank.cordaro@gmail.com.
SAVE THE DATE: Mary’s House Retreat
Birmingham, Alabama—Mary’s House Catholic Worker in Birmingham, Alabama, will offer an Advent retreat entitled “Building a New Society in the Shell of the Old” with Brian Terrell and Betsy Keenan from December 4-5, 2026, leading reflections on building community and resisting the evils of the day. More information at maryshousebham.com.
WORDS FROM THE ELDERS
“Reconstruction of the Social Order”
by Peter Maurin
The Holy Father and the Bishops ask us
to reconstruct the social order.
The social order was once constructed
through dynamic Catholic Action.
When the barbarians invaded
the decaying Roman Empire
Irish missionaries went all over Europe
and laid the foundations of medieval Europe.
Through the establishment of
cultural centers,
that is to say, Round-Table Discussions,
they brought thought to the people.
Through free guest houses,
that is to say, Houses of Hospitality,
they popularized the divine
virtue of charity.
Through farming colonies,
that is to say, Agronomic Universities,
they emphasized voluntary poverty.
It was on the basis of personal charity
and voluntary poverty
that Irish missionaries
laid the foundations
of the social order.
See more of Maurin’s essays in Lincoln Rice’s The Forgotten Radical.