A canonical inquiry into the life of Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, will begin soon and extend to the end of the year, according to the Archdiocese of New York. The Dorothy Day Guild, established in 2005 to promote her life and works, said the names of 256 people had been submitted as potential eyewitnesses to Day’s life. Of those, 52 have been chosen for interviews. “Those too frail to travel will be interviewed in their home dioceses, some as far away as Europe,” said a statement by the archdiocese. “Because many of the eyewitnesses still live in voluntary poverty, caring for the poor, the archdiocese will assist with airfare and lodging for those requesting assistance.” Some of the interviewees’ memories go back to the 1940s. From the interviews, the archdiocese will gather the evidence and present it to the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes and to Pope Francis. If, after examining the information, the Vatican congregation and the Pope recognise Day’s heroic virtues, she will be declared “Venerable”, the next step in the canonisation process. She now has the title “servant of God”. In 2012 the US bishops unanimously endorsed Day’s Cause. George Horton, the liaison for the Dorothy Day Guild, said: “This will require a team effort. Dorothy Day created or inspired dozens of houses of hospitality throughout the English-speaking world, but she was also a journalist who published the Catholic Worker newspaper. "Her articles in that paper alone total over 3,000 pages. Add her books and other publications and we will probably surpass 8,000 pages.”
2:26 PM
Dorothy Day’s Cause takes step forward
Staff writers

Already a subscriber? Sign in
5freearticles every month
Continue reading with a free account. No card needed.
- Five free articles every thirty days, on any device you sign in on
- The Catholic Herald newsletter, every morning
- Subscribe whenever you like for everything: every article and the magazine

subscribe to the catholic herald today
Our best content is exclusively available to our subscribers. Subscribe today and gain instant access to expert analysis, in-depth articles, and thought-provoking insights—anytime, anywhere. Don’t miss out on the conversations that matter most.
Subscribe












