Creating a new society
within the shell of the old
AN EASY ESSAY BY PETER MAURIN
1. The Catholic Worker believes
in the gentle personalism
of traditional Catholicism.
2. The Catholic Worker believes
in the personal obligation
of looking after
the needs of our brother.
3. The Catholic Worker believes
in the daily practice
of the Works of Mercy.
4. The Catholic Worker believes
in Houses of Hospitality
for the immediate relief
of those who are in need.
5. The Catholic Worker believes
in the establishment
of Farming Communes
where each one works
according to his ability
and gets according to his need.
6. The Catholic Worker believes
in creating a new society
within the shell of the old
with the philosophy of the new,
which is not a new philosophy
but a very old philosophy,
a philosophy so old
that it looks like new.
The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution that has to start with each one of us.
Dorothy Day
It is in fact impossible
for any culture
to be sound and healthy
without a proper regard
for the soil,
no matter how many urban dwellers
think that their food
comes from groceries
and delicatessens
or their milk from tin cans.
from Regard For The Soil
An Easy Essay by Peter Maurin
We started the farm with the simple goal of growing food for the poor, but our mission quickly grew well beyond that. Our open-farm policy welcomes anyone to participate in our work and to learn homesteading skills. The farm is the place where we put into action the faith that we hold so dear.
As Catholic theologians, we take particular interest in the theological and philosophical roots of the Catholic Worker Movement. Our blog, Gaudium et Spes 22, explores the theology that movitates us.