Dorothy Day Quotes (30 Quotes)


    First of all, let it be remembered that I speak as an ex-Communist and one who has not testified before Congressional Committees, nor written works on the Communist conspiracy.

    The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?

    Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.

    We must recognize the fact that many Nazis, Marxists and Fascists believe passionately in their fundamental rightness, and allow nothing to hinder them from their goal in the pursuit of their mission.

    We and the Communists have a common idea that something else is necessary, some other vision of society must be held up to be worked for.


    My radical associates were the ones who were in the forefront of the struggle for a better social order where there would not be so many poor.

    Don't call me a saint. I don't want to be dismissed so easily.

    As for ourselves, yes, we must be meek, bear injustice, malice, rash judgment. We must turn the other cheek, give up our cloak, go a second mile.

    Our faith is stronger than death, our philosophy is firmer than flesh, and the spread of the Kingdom of God upon the earth is more sublime and more compelling.

    Women think with their whole bodies and they see things as a whole more than men do.

    In fact, to this very day, common sense in religion is rare, and we are too often trying to be heroic instead of just ordinarily good and kind.

    They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.

    Knitting is very conducive to thought. It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again.

    It is easier to have faith that God will support each House of Hospitality and Farming Commune and supply our needs in the way of food and money to pay bills, than it is to keep a strong, hearty, living faith in each individual around us - to see Christ in him.

    Men are beginning to realize that they are not individuals but persons in society, that man alone is weak and adrift, that he must seek strength in common action.

    The basis of the liturgical movement is prayer, the liturgical prayer of the church. It is a revolt against private, individual prayer.

    The legal battle against segregation is won, but the community battle goes on.

    Together with the Works of Mercy, feeding, clothing and sheltering our brothers, we must indoctrinate.

    I believe that we must reach our brother, never toning down our fundamental oppositions, but meeting him when he asks to be met, with a reason for the faith that is in us, as well as with a loving sympathy for them as brothers.

    When we have spiritual reading at meals, when we have the rosary at night, when we have study groups, forums, when we go out to distribute literature at meetings, or sell it on the street corners, Christ is there with us.

    Tradition We scarcely know the word anymore. We are afraid to be either proud of our ancestors or ashamed of them. We cling to a bourgeois mediocrity which would make it appear we are all Americans, made in the image and likeness of George Washington.

    Words are as strong and powerful as bombs, as napalm.

    I firmly believe that our salvation depends on the poor.

    We are the nation the most powerful, the most armed and we are supplying arms and money to the rest of the world where we are not ourselves fighting. We are eating while there is famine in the world.

    I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions.

    Love casts out fear, but we have to get over the fear in order to get close enough to love them.

    We have all known the long loneliness, and we have found that the answer is community.

    We believe in loving our brothers regardless of race, color or creed and we believe in showing this love by working for better conditions immediately and the ultimate owning by the workers of their means of production.

    Certainly we disagree with the Communist Party, as we disagree with other political parties who are trying to maintain the American way of life.

    We cannot build up the idea of the apostolate of the laity without the foundation of the liturgy.


    More Dorothy Day Quotations (Based on Topics)


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