Comments on: Harpy Hall of Fame: Dorothy Day (1897-1980)

By: Phil Runkel

Phil Runkel — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:49:59 +0000

The second photo, taken on 17 April 1959, is copyrighted by the photographer, Vivian Cherry.

By: Paul Brouder

Paul Brouder — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:57 +0000

Thank you for your article. Ms. Day is an interesting character. She struggled all her life and is an inspiration. Pope John-Paul II had his faults, but in affirming the Church is a collection of saints struggling with life, he showed some of the traits that is moving him towards sainthood. Her views are attractive, but it is in her ministry that we all benefit from. Paul Brouder. prouder@hotmail.com

By: MonkeyShines

MonkeyShines — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:07:13 +0000

She was a throughly outstanding woman. It’s worth noting that Abbie Hoffman once described her as “the first hippie”. She accepted that title as and honor.

By: annajcook

annajcook — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:50:37 +0000

@J.D.Regent,

Yes, she did have an abortion prior to her pregnancy with Tamar. It’s been a long time since I read her memoir, but I recall that the abortion was physically traumatic and a decision she later regretted. She believed it had made her infertile and thus her second pregnancy with Tamar is described as a miraculous gift in her personal writings.

This is definitely a troublesome aspect of her biography for feminists. Not that she herself had those experiences, or made the decisions she did, obviously, but the greater cultural and religious meaning she ascribes them in her later writing and activism.

By: J.D.Regent

J.D.Regent — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:22:55 +0000

One of my favorite and yes, most frustrating foremothers. I worked closely with some Catholic Worker houses in my time and have been in and out of the movement and have never been able to resolve the tensions I have with it (mainly pro life issues — she had an abortion too right?) but I can’t help being so drawn to it too. I have to say I don’t see her as gender essentialist though…but maybe I’ve missed those readings or interviews. Seems to me she demanded the same radical humility and self-abnegation from everyone.

By: sarah.of.a.lesser.god

sarah.of.a.lesser.god — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:16:41 +0000

Awesome piece. I highly, highly recommend the book The Life You Save May Be Your Own as a further reading about Day. (It also covers Thomas Merton, Flannery O'Connor, and Walker Percy.)

By: rodriguez

rodriguez — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:08:54 +0000

oooh Anna so so interesting - thanks so much for posting that link to her work. This has got to go on my reading list. Her intense connection to Catholicism is so fascinating to me. How does a person like her come to Catholicism? Is it this core of beatitude in the NT that is just irresistible to some people? That's my best guess. She really really lived it. Your point that starts blended with narratives of gender is a great angle to consider.