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James Martin, S.J.November 11, 2010

After hearing this homily recommended by no less than six people, unbidden, over the last few days, I post it forthwith.  Here is Archbishop Timothy Dolan's homily on the anniversary of the birth of Dorothy Day.  He is speaking at St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich Village, in New York City.   

6 Insights from the Life of Dorothy Day from Province of Saint Joseph on Vimeo.

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david power
13 years 4 months ago
David,

I was indeed referring to you.I always enjoy reading your comments as you are informative at times and not simply biting like others.
I invite you to read this http://www.cjd.org/paper/right.html
as I invite everybody here to read it.
The "Left" might not like the Saint that you are saying they are getting.
I think that the "Saint Factory" era has passed and the likes of Maciel's mother and Cardinal Pironio may face  greater hurdles .
The Jesuit charism of discernment is back in vogue and all of those cases that would have been approved by the greasing of palms or the possibility of propaganda  in the past will face scrutiny that the CIA would envy.
This is my hope and belief. 
Ratzinger is on record as being "unconvinced" by the whole process.This is Romanita for saying that it is rubbish.
Dorothy Day is not my cup of tea but I am convinced that she was close to God and 
a fantastic example of what God would like to say to the poor. 
Anybody who genuinely loves the poor is already a step ahead of me.
Robert Killoren
13 years 4 months ago
David,

The "American left" already has great saints... Sister Katherine Drexel, patron saint of racial justice, to name just one. She was a real bleeding heart liberal. I think the "American left," which would have to include all those who fought for social justice in America can claim a great many role models among the saints. 

Deacon Bob 
david power
13 years 4 months ago
A great scene  in "The lives of others" is when the protaganist after listening to a beautiful piece of music says quoting Lenin"can anybody who has heard such music be a bad person?"
http://www.sonyclassics.com/thelivesofothers/swf/index.html

I send this to two of the Previous commentators .
Archbishop Dolan speaks of a wonderful woman,a Saint and one who is far beyond any category of temporality. He speaks with simplicity,in short supply in the Church at present,and it is still not enough to wean you from ideology.
This is about Dorothy Day .  
Please do not dismiss the lady so quickly!
13 years 4 months ago
Thank you, Padre. I listened to this several times. It is a beaut. It was Archbishop Dolan's words that struck me:

..Perhaps the greatest pastoral challenge you and I face today, as Catholics, is to try and respond to those who want Christ without His Church, and their name is Legion. People today don't have trouble with Jesus, they got tons of trouble with His Church and they prefer to have Christ without His Church, ...for Dorothy Day, for us as Catholics, no can do. Jesus and His Church are one...

The Truth never confuses, it never divides.
Bill Mazzella
13 years 4 months ago
A unique talk from a bishop indeed. Dolan has been upset with the Pew finding which shows that Catholics do not reject Jesus but have real problems with the church, read hierarchy. So Dolan uses Day to stress the church's importance. For sure Day did say "the church is a whore but she is my whore." The point Dolan is making is agreed to by  many of us. So why is it that we point out the specifics Dolan objects. He can't have it both ways. He talks about prudential judgment when it comes to torture. He bristles at mere reporting about the bad acts of the church, while he fails to show us how he is working to change those terrible things that fit the whore of Babylon that Dolan acknowledges.

The most ardent Catholic critics love the church. It is progress that Dolan acknowledges this. How does he work with the Days of this age?
13 years 4 months ago
His fidelity, his heart that is ever cheerful and on fire with love for Christ, His Chuch and the Truth, is how he shepards his flock. He does so with a mighty grace, an imperturbable charity and and unfailing sense of good humor.
Stephen SCHEWE
13 years 4 months ago
Lots of wisdom here to ponder.  As one of those described so well by Cathleen Kaveny in "The Long Goodbye", I appreciate the Archbishop's acknowledgement and outreach that's an undercurrent of this homily, and I respect him for sticking to his guns that Jesus and the Church are one.  Does someone have a list of the sources he mentions?  The Church as Christ crucified between the two thieves - I'd like to read more from the person who came up with that metaphor.

Regarding Bill's comments above, I'll add the Archbishop to my prayers.  We're all works in progress, and this homily suggests Dolan could be a bishop to rebuild the bridge between the believer critics and the leaders.

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