To us at the Catholic Worker, Father Virgil was a dear friend and adviser, bringing to us his tremendous strength and knowledge. He first came to visit us at our beginnings on East Fifteenth Street. he was like Peter Maurin in the friendly simple way he would come in and sit down, starting right in… continue reading
Virgil Michel, O.S.B., and the Benedictine Influence on the CW Movement: Virgil Michel, Fellow Worker in Christ
Bourgeois Spirit undermines Christian Renewal (Virgil Michel)
The supreme guiding motive of the bourgeois mind is precisely the personal gain or profit that the medieval idealist rejected as a final goal. The principle of gain for its own sake, of an endlessly increasing profit, is now set up as the one sensible goal of all human life and endeavor. All the aspects… continue reading
The Liturgy the Basis of Social Regeneration (Virgil Michel)
At the mention of the subject of this article one might be inclined to ask: What has the liturgy to do with social reconstruction or the social question? Can the liturgy help to give jobs or raise wages? Can there be any connection between the liturgy and the social problem? The moment we deal with… continue reading
Obituary of Emmanuel Mounier (1905-1950)
It was a great shock to us to hear of the death, by heart attack, in Paris of Emmanuel Mounier, at forty five. Mounier was the guiding spirit in the French personalist movement, and founder and director of Esprit, the magazine which is the organ of the movement. Mounier, who was the child of peasants,… continue reading
Emmanuel Mounier and Personalism
The following are excerpts from the works of Mounier: Principles of a Personalist Civilization A personalist civilization is one whose structure and spirit are directed towards the development as persons of all the individuals constituting it. They have as their ultimate end to enable every individual to live as a person, that is, to exercise… continue reading
We Urge Our Readers to be Personalist
We are urging our readers to be neither collectivist nor individualist,but personalist. This consciousness of oneself as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ will lead to great things. We are working for the Communitarian revolution to oppose both the rugged individualism of the capitalist era, and the collectivism of the Communist revolution. We… continue reading
Why Volunteer?
The stories of the men are incredible. They must endure so much suffering just to arrive at our door, beaten down and flat broke. Many have problems eating, because they haven’t eaten for days, and their digestive systems are out of whack. Others come with scratches and cuts from the cactus that they accidently dove into when they heard… continue reading
“Embarrassed by the Article in the Houston Chronicle?” and Other Questions
It happened this way. Sue David, Catholic Worker, left us a note saying Lori Rodriguez of the Houston Chronicle was coming in the morning to talk about Barbara Jordan’s new recommendations on getting control of our borders. We knew Barbara’s recommendations and while we were uncomfortable with them, we were still reeling from the devastating articles of Proposition 187… continue reading
Welcoming the Lord in Disguise – Life as a Catholic Worker
As I sit here and reflect over the past year that I have spent at Casa Juan Diego, the words of Scripture come to my mind: “And there was no room for them in the inn.” How often we receive calls from the various women’s shelters: “Can you possibly take a mother and her three children… continue reading
All Souls: The Day of the Dead
This month when we celebrate the feast of All Souls it is good to write about heaven as well as death. Someone is always putting a book or article in my hands that I need just at that moment, and the other night, when we gathered for Vespers in our office-library-stencil room, Mike Kovalak handed me a little book,… continue reading