The Spirituality of Dorothy Day

Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons

Institute of Pastoral Studies: Faculty Publications and Other Works Faculty Publications

1995

A Fierce Quest for Holiness. Brigid Merriman's Searching for Christ: The Spirituality of Dorothy Day

Stephen T. Krupa Loyola University Chicago

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Recommended Citation Krupa, ST. "A Fierce Quest for Holiness. Brigid Merriman's Searching for Christ: The Spirituality of Dorothy Day." Christian Spirituality Bulletin, 1995.

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of conservatism in the Roman Catholic lA Fierce Quest for Holiness Church in the first decades of the twenti eth century. The condemnations of Ameri canism and Modernism meant both the Brigid O'Shea Merriman. Searching for Christ: The Spirituality of Dorothy Day. Notre rise of devotional Catholicism and the Dame, IN.: Notre Dame University Press, 1994. hibernation of serious social thought in the predominantly immigrant American by Steve Krupa, S. ] . Catholic Church. Merriman then shifts, rather abruptly, to an account of the life of n December 1980, just a few weeks after her death, the Dorothy Day from her birth in November 1897 to her historic meeting with Peter distinguished historian David J. O'Brien commented that Maurin in December 1932. In this bio Dorothy Day was "the most significant, interesting, and graphical account Merriman addresses I 1 influential person in the history of American Catholicism." Day's family, her early religious intuitions, her love of beauty and her devotion to the Other admirers have gone even further tian tradition while developing her own masses, her love of men including Lionel referring to the co-founder of the Catholic expression of the spiritual life. Merriman Moise and Forster Batterham, her abor Worker movement as a "saint." During brings forth the sophistication and com tion, her marriage to Tobey Berkeley, her her lifetime Day's reply to someone's men plexity of a woman whose spiritual prac alleged suicide attempt(s), her various jail tion of her sanctity was characteristically tice seemed on the surface quite simple terms, her recurrent encounters with the direct: "Don't dismiss me so easily."2 Day and direct. Day ate the food of the poor Bible, and the role of reading in Dorothy's wanted to be taken seriously. Her own and wore their clothes, but when it came first thirty-five years. attraction to the saints was a matter of to the spiritual life she fed on the food of Literature was, for Day, "an instru imitation not veneration. Day was as great thinkers and mystics. The mingling ment through which her religious sensi convinced of her own sinfulness as she was of intellectuals and artists with the unem bilities were awakened and reawakened, that all men and women are called to be ployed and destitute in the Catholic and her awareness ofsocial needs strength ' saints. In spite of the exuberant claims Worker reflected the paradox, and the ened" ( 25). She found sustenance in books made about her, it seems safe to say that genius, of Day's own spirituality. The which she regarded as "food just as Christ Day, the insistent pacifist, social activist, "people's saint," indeed, was a saint for a the Word is also our food" ( 25). The Bible persona list, writer and editor, single work wide variety of people. was a constant companion in Day's life and ing-mother, grandmother, and apostle to she read it daily. The Imitation of Christ, the poor, remains the radical conscience * * * Augustine's Confessions, and the nine of American Catholicism. Whether or teenth-century works of the great Russian not she will be made "a Church saint," Day The first chapter of the book estab writers Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, all of has become already, in Daniel Berrigan's lishes the historical context for Day's life which she initially discovered in her teen expression, "a people's saint."1 and spirituality. Merriman sets the stage years, enriched Day's spirituality through Brigid O'Shea Merriman offers a view for the inauguration of the Catholic Worker out her life. Merriman concludes the chap of the intricate and refined spirituality of movement in 1933 by noting the triumph ter on "literary influences" with a discus- the "people's saint", providing an intellec tual history of Day's spiritual development around selected themes. The book, part of the Notre Dame Studies in American Ca tholicism series, scrutinizes the impact of literature, monasticism, the mid-twentieth century retreat movement, saints, and friend ship on Day's spirituality. While moving through Merriman's investigations, the reader senses in Day the work of a creative religious personality who was able to syn thesize human relationships, great writing and ideas, and different facets of the Chris-

' Steve Krupa is a doctoral candidate in Christian Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley . He is writing a dissertation on the Spiri nutliry of Dorothy Day. 36 Christian Spirituality Bulletin Fall 1995 sion of the impact on Day of the writings of Rev. John J. Hugo who directed her first material on Day's friendship with Thomas the Christian personalists, Emmanuel retreat in 1941. Hugo subsequently con Merton in a prior chapter, provides a Mounier, Jacques Maritain, and Paul tributed many articles to the Catholic glimpse into the role of friendship in the Hanley Furfey. Worker, including the "Weapons of the development of Day's spirituality. Few Dorothy Day admirers are aware Spirit" series in the l 940's which offered that Day was a professed Benedictine ob theological support for Day's pacifism. * * * late. Merriman makes a strong case in the In the final chapter Merriman exam third chapter of Searching for Christ for the ines the influence on Day's spirituality of Much has been written about Dor centrality of monasticism, and of the friends and spiritual guides. Saints, like othy Day's life and work. Searching for Benedictine charism in particular, in the the characters in the great novels she read, Christ is one of the first books which goes growth and refinement of Day's spiritual were as real to Day as her own friends. to the heart of the matter by examining ity and in daily life at the Catholic Worker. Among the many pacifist, mystic, and so Day's spirituality. Overall, Merriman's Developments in Day's own spiritual vi cially active saints from whose lives she study brings forth the contemplative di sion and practice resulting from her im derived inspiration, Day particularly mension of Day's interior life, and the mersion in the Benedictine tradition be benefitted, according to Merriman, from importance of Christian writers and the came a part of the Catholic Worker pro the spirituality ofFrancis of Assisi, Juliana traditional charisms of the Catholic saints gram of action: a balance between work and religious orders in the refinement of and prayer, hospitality, the centrality of "Merriman makes a Day's lay vocation. The Benedictine, Mass and worship, and life and prayer in lgnatian, Franciscan, and Carmelite common. By 1940, Merriman maintains, strong case . .. for the charisms, among others, helped Day to "life at the Catholic Worker had settled centrality of hone her own expression oflay sanctity, as into a monklike pattern of alternation Merriman's chapters on monasticism, the between work and prayer, sans the quiet monasticism, and of the retreat movement, and saints and friends orderlinessofa traditional monastery" (97 ). illustrate. Day became a fully professed secular oblate Benedictine charism in In tackling major influences on Day's through the monks at St. Procopius Abbey particular, in the growth spirituality heretofore unexplored by Day in Lisle, Illinois, in 1955. However, it was scholars, Merriman provides advanced St. John's Abbey in Minnesota, Merriman and refinement of Day's reading for Day admirers and mandatory observes, that provided the Catholic reading for serious students of Dorothy Worker with its most significant spirituality and in daily Day. Merriman's critical analysis of the Benedictine resource. Beginning in 1933, life at the Catholic Lacouture retreat movement makes an Day and the Catholic Worker movement outstanding contribution both to our un benefitted from the work of the Collegeville Worker." derstanding of Day and to the history of monk Virgil Michel whose liturgical stud the retreat movement in North America. ies emphasized the connection between of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Her investigation of Benedictine monasti worship and social involvement. Avila, and Therese of Lisieux. The cism, with its stress on manual labor and The twentieth-century retreat move Carmelite diptych of Teresa and Therese prayer, adds a religious dimension to Day's ment also had a significant influence on is "a fitting symbol of Dorothy's entire life long love of the working masses and her Day's spirituality. Encouraged by Pius Xi's spirituality," according to Merriman ( 194 ). emphasis at the Catholic Worker on the promotion of the Spiritual Exercises in the Teresa's powerful and practical intellect, corporal works of mercy. Educators, like 1920's as a means of personal spiritual her active disposition, and her teaching on Robert Coles, who have advocated the use growth and social transformation, Day the relationship between deep love for of fiction in a variety of educational en embraced the rigorous lgnatian retreat of Christ and personal action appealed to deavors will find in Merriman's examina the Canadian Jesuit Onesimus Lacouture. Day's temperament and spiritual idealism. tion of the literary influences on Day's The retreat was designed to extend the On the other hand, the "Little Way" of spirituality evidence of one whose life was benefits of the lgnatian tradition to the Therese of Lisieux, with its emphasis on affected profoundly by the books she read. laity. Lacouture's rendering of the Exer the lasting effect of small actions, eventu Day's experience of the power ofliterature cises met with increasing opposition, how ally impressed Day as a fitting expression to teach and impart wisdom is an example ever, and eventually was suppressed for its of the ordinary route to sanctity of the of the transformative role of the arts in allegedJansenism. Day, Merriman claims, Catholic Worker vocation. Ever aware of spirituality. benefitted immensely from the Lacouture the loneliness in life, Day considered her Altogether, Searching for Christ is a retreat which she experienced many times self blessed both by the lives of saints and remarkable accomplishment. It is schol from 1941-1976. Day found in the personal friendships. Merriman's treat arly but accessible, amply documented, Lacouture movement a worthy ally in her ment of Day's post-conversion friendships and includes abundant new material. longstanding search for heroic sanctity. with Peter Maurin, Nina Polcyn Moore, Merriman has made skillful use of inter Through the retreat movement Day met and Helene lswolsky, added to the new views, personal correspondence, and ar- Fall 1995 Christian Spirituality Bulletin 37

chival material insupportofherwork. She closer to the claim of being a book on "The A comprehensive treatment of "The supplies names, dates, and locations lack Spirituality of Dorothy Day," Merriman Spirituality of Dorothy Day" will have to ing in the works of William Miller, Day's would have had to stick to the anthropo take into account the total life experience official biographer. Miller's important logical definitions of spirituality which she of its subject. Granted, the author's inten books on Day contain virtually no direct offers in the book's first pages. Instead, tion was to deal only with the "religious . references. By contrast, Merriman pro after designating Day's spirituality, cor influences" within Day's spirituality. This , vides detailed endnotes and an extensive rectly, as a "spiritual journey," a "quest," she has done with great thoroughness and · bibliography. Moreover, Merriman cor and a "search for God" (viii; and first half insight. Had Merriman included as a part rects certain factual errors in Miller's writ of book title), Merriman chooses to deal of the "search" a serious treatment of the ings on Day (eg. that Day was not born in with "selected religious influences" which "pre-conversion influences" on Day'sspiri Bath Beach, Brooklyn, but in Brooklyn are Christian and mostly Roman Catholic. tuality, however, she would have come Heights; 228, n. 5), particularly in the As a result, the author approaches Day's closer to elucidating the terms of her book's matter of the Lacouture retreat ( 27 3, n. spirituality primarily as "an experience title. 23). In an appendix Merriman presents rooted in a particular community's history The "people's saint" lived a rich and her own ordering of the archival "All is rather than as a dimension of human exist varied life, and while "on pilgrimage" took Grace" manuscripts which comprise the ence as such."4 This approach, I contend, roads that were neither Catholic nor Chris is not adequate to the subject. As a conse tian. After her conversion to Catholicism, "An adequate quence of choosing to deal only with the Day frequently commented on the ongo religious influences on Day's spirituality, ing influence of her socialist past by quot presentation of Dorothy Merriman fails to examine issues that were ing St. Augustine: "The bottle always smells 6 Day's spirituality must essential both to Day's "searching" and to of the liquor it once held." * her "spirituality." include its non-Christian An adequate presentation of Dorothy Notes Day's spirituality must include its non as well as its Christian Christian as well as its Christian influ 1 See David J. O'Brien, "The Pilgrimage of ences. Day's "search" included some thirty Dorothy Day," Commonweal 107 ( 19 influences . . .Kropotkin, December 1980): 711. years without any serious focus on Christ 2 See Kenneth L. Woodward and Eloise Debs, Sacco and and the teachings of the Church. What of Salholz, "The End of a Pilgrimage," the years when Day's "hunger for God" was Newsweek 74 (15 December 1980): 75. Vanzetti, and the not attached to Christian themes and i See Kenneth L. Woodward, Making Saints ideals? What of the "bohemian influence" (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990), Haymarket martyrs were 35-36. on Day's spirituality, with its human loves 4 See Bernard McGinn, "The Letter and the also Day's spiritual and losses, despair, communist friendships, Spirit: Spirituality as an Academic and socialist inspiration? What about the Discipline," Christian Spirituality Bulletin I: guides." influence of communist principles and tac 2 (Fall 1993 ): 6. McGinn, here, is tics on Day's spiritual vision and practice? contrasting the "historical-contextual" with fragmentary retreat notes of Day from 194 3- More importantly, what of the influence the "anthropological" approach to spiritual 1975. This effort establishes an historical of Kropotkin, Proudhon, and Marx on ity, although he does not consider these to be mutually exclusive. I doubt that record for Day's involvement with the Day's spirituality? Merriman consciously used any of the three Lacouture retreat. Merriman's book should For Merriman the Catholic saints were approaches to spirituality that McGinn be consulted, now, as the first authority in Day's "spiritual guides." In view of Day's discusses in this article. Nevertheless, the matters of Day chronology and the docu own metaphors for spirituality, I would result of confining Day's spirituality to mentation of primary materials. argue that Kropotkin, Debs, Sacco and "religious influences" points to the Vanzetti, and the Haymarket martyrs were limitations of the "theological" and also Day's "spiritual guides." Day's "quest "historical-contextual" approaches to * * * spirituality as described by McGinn. for God" included a serious consideration 5 See "Ex Libris: Dorothy Day," Christian Still, a caveat is in order. The book in her pre-Catholic years of the lives and Century 80 (13 March 1963): 337. Day ' does not live up to its subtitle. I raise this thinking of prominent nineteenth and listed eight books in response to the issue both to indicate the limits of twentieth-century radical American and question: "What books did most to shape ' Merriman's study and to suggest areas for European social theorists, anarchists, and your vocational attitude and your philoso further research. Merriman's study does writers. Proudhon, Marx, Debs, Sinclair, phy of life?" Works by Mounier, Maritain, and Furfey were not listed. Kropotkin and not attempt to give an account of "The and, especially, Kropotkin were as vital to Sinclair were on Day's list. Spirituality of Dorothy Day," as such. It the foundations of Day's spirituality as the 6 See Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness (San 5 offers, rather, "selected religious influences" Christian personalists. They determined Francisco: Harper and Row, 1952), 181; and within Day's spirituality, as the author what Day looked for and found, and found Loaves and Fishes (San Francisco: Harper states in the book's Preface (viii). To come lacking, in Roman Catholic Christianity. and Row), 1963, 20.