The Catholic Worker Movement was started in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. Today, inspired by their example, Catholic Worker communities around the world and here in Ithaca operate houses of hospitality and communal farms. We strive to live according to Jesus’ teachings of justice, charity and compassion. We commit ourselves to the works of mercy: caring for the sick, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the imprisoned, sheltering the homeless, comforting the mourning, burying the dead. We also confront the works of war, and are involved in faith-based, non-violent actions that challenge social injustice

We acknowledge with sorrow and repentance that the United States was created by the violent suppression of the Indigenous sovereign nations, and its economy was largely built by millions of enslaved African people. The majority of Catholic Workers to date have been of European descent, assigned unearned privilege by the systems of white supremacy and structural racism. Therefore the sin of racism is one that we are called to address in all of our work.

Another important part of our work is publishing a newspaper to help us educate, agitate, and organize.

We believe that “there is that of God in every person”, that all creation is interconnected and interdependent, and that the sacred lies in even the simplest acts. We hope to do small things with great love, and to be instruments of God’s renewal of the face of the earth.

We believe that the transformation of the world and of ourselves comes about by 1) serving each other and our neighbors, 2) working together to build trust, 3) studying and praying together, 4) confronting non-violently the wrongs of our society, 5) allowing faith to guide our acts and 6) taking personal responsibility for change.

We meet regularly for silent meditation, communal prayer, sharing food, and to reflect on the teachings of Jesus and other teachers rooted in non-violence. All are welcome to join us. We offer shelter and support to people in need. We carry out actions of public witness, often timed to the rhythms of the liturgical calendar.