House of Hospitality

by Dorothy Day

"A great many of these notes were not written for publication, but for my own self in moments of trouble and in moments of peace and joy." Dorothy Day's reflections-written on the fly over five hectic years-reveal not only the beginnings of the Catholic Worker Movement, but the mind of a heroic woman as she responds to the demands of faith. Now back in print after seventy-five years, House of Hospitality is packed with stories of sacrifice and kindness, strikes and protests, hunger and soup lines, the rough reality of tenement life, and the foul odor of poverty. "I do penance through my nose continually," Dorothy wrote. And yet, as she said, "Our lives are made up of little miracles day by day." Dorothy Day and her fellow workers were "poor for the poor," as Pope Francis has exhorted, and the early years of this Gospel-driven moment have much to teach us about how we can live, today, with a heart for others. "Love and ever more love," Dorothy said, "is the only solution to every problem that comes up."

275 pages

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

Dorothy Day was an American journalist, social activist and anarchist who, after a bohemian youth, became a Catholic Christian without in any way abandoning her social and anarchist activism. She was perhaps the best-known political radical in the American Catholic Church. In the 1930s, Day worked closely with fellow activist Peter Maurin to establish the Catholic Worker movement, a nonviolent, pacifist movement that continues to combine direct aid for the poor and homeless with nonviolent direct action on their behalf.

A revered figure within the U.S. Catholic community, Day's cause for canonization was recently open by the Catholic Church.

Reviews

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim because there was a stack of them clearanced at Barnes and Noble (thank you Catholic reading group that didn't pick up your book order), and didn't really know what to expect. I've never read anything by or about Day before, but apparently this is one of her lesser read works. It consists of journal entries from the beginning years of the Christian Worker's movement during the depression up until the first rumblings of World War II. I loved getting to know Dorothy as a person, and I'm glad I read this instead of a biography first. There are so many myths surrounding her that it was nice to just see her as a person striving forward with a very difficult task to the best of her ability. This book is also incredibly useful as a picture of how bad things were during the depression. I loved getting to see an accurate depiction of how harmful most of FDR's policies really were and how the media was manipulating the political scene, to the detriment of the common people, then, just as much as now.

[Elyse Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy Day's granddaughter recommended this book when she was being interviewed -and she was right. It is fresh and immediate. One of the first books Day wrote, it is a loose collection of undated diary-like entries, written on the fly, during the early days of the Catholic Worker movement. She captures what it was like to live in voluntary poverty, with brief vignettes and little details about her physical surroundings, some of the characters who came through their doors, etc. You also get a concise view her and Peter Maurin's beliefs. In the conclusion she states "I feel that I have given no adequate account of the work, that it is very much a day by day record of little events, of my own conflicts and meditations." Nothing wrong with that! I loved this book.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book by one of the leaders of the Catholic Social Justice Movement. This is Dorothy Day's diary in the first several years when she was leading the Catholic Worker. This is during the Great Depression with thousands starving in NYC and around the country. She was developing a movement that served the poor while protecting their dignity without help from the government. She and her daughter lives in poverty with her followers. She an excellent writer and very holy. A worthwhile historical reflection

[Barb Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I prefer bibliographies not a diary but, even though it jumped around a lot, (that's what you would expect from a diary), I got quite a bit of a look into her life.
I wouldn't go so far as saying that she was the Mother Teresa on the American side of the world, but she was concerned with social justice.
She wasn't a communist or a socialist, but she referenced
to their meetings throughout the book.

[Barb]

An interesting book about an interesting lady in the Catholic movement in the 30"s.
Lead an interesting life.

[Rachel B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is a look at the daily goings-on in the hospitality houses and farming commune started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin during the Great Depression era.

I liked hearing about the various worker strikes going on at the time. Some prices for food, printing, etc., are included, which is always a fun way to get a grasp on what life was like at the time.

Because I'm not Catholic, there were some theological issues that I disagreed with Day about. (For instance, she repeatedly appeals to St. Joseph for provision instead of to God.)

I did prefer the book Loaves and Fishes, also by Day, but this was good, too. The style reminded me of Edith Schaeffer’s in her book With Love, Edith: The L'Abri Family Letters.

[Mickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent intro to Dorothy Day and first years of the Catholic Worker/ journal excerpts and reflections.