Catholic Worker Movement Turns 70

May 1--Seventy years ago today, the Catholic Worker movement made its public debut. Born of the fruitful and spirit led collaboration of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, on May 1, 1933 the first edition of the Catholic Worker newspaper was distributed at a demonstration in Union Square in New York City.

Today Catholic Workers are still Catholic Workering, making things up as we go along, here in Oklahoma City and in more than 150 other houses. We are grateful this day, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, for the charism of Dorothy and Peter, which continues to be an inspiration to continue this work, and to develop it in new ways to meet the changing needs of this time.

Here are two of Peter Maurin's "Easy Essays," which seem to the occasion. The first was read this morning at the first Labor Religion Breakfast here in Oklahoma City, which was attended by 96 leaders of religion and labor, held at St. Charles Borromeo Church. The lead organizer of the event was Marcus Evans, who is a member of our Catholic Worker community, and we are happy we had a hand in organizing this occasion.

May God continue to bless the Catholic Worker movement, and keep us faithful to the charism of Dorothy and Peter.

St. Joseph the Worker, ora pro nobis.

Robert Waldrop
Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House in Oklahoma City
http://www.justpeace.org

Better Or Better Off

1. The world would be better off,
if people tried to become better.

2. And people would become better
if they stopped trying to be better off.

3. For when everybody tries to become better off,
nobody is better off.

4. But when everybody tries to become better,
everybody is better off.

5. Everybody would be rich if nobody tried
to be richer.

6. And nobody would be poor if everybody tried
to be the poorest.

7. And everybody would be what he ought to be
if everybody tried to be what he wants the other fellow to be.

What Makes Man Human

1. To give and not to take, that is what makes man human.

2. To serve and not to rule, that is what makes man human.

3. To help and not to crush, that is what makes man human.

4. To nourish and not to devour, that is what makes man human.

5. And if need be to die and not to live, that is what makes man human.

6. Ideals and not deals, that is what makes man human.

7. Creed and not greed, that is what makes man human.