About Us

What follows is the mission and values statement of the San Jose Catholic Worker.

  • We are a Catholic Worker community rooted in Jesus’ vision of God’s Reign among us, committed to a shared life of prayer and action in joyful service to people on the margins.
  • We believe in a “Revolution of the Heart” that begins with the transformation of our own hearts and leads to a renewed world of peace and justice where all beings and the Earth itself are held sacred.
  • We commit to a disciplined practice of contemplation, prayer, and reflection.
  • We act boldly and creatively in practicing the Works of Mercy and the daily discipline of loving others.
  • We nonviolently resist systems of exploitation, war and preparations for war, and ecological destruction, while seeking creative alternatives.
  • We are rooted in our local community and dedicated to creating and sustaining person-to-person relationships.
  • We welcome and value the gifts of all.
  • We strive for a joyful life together.

What is the Catholic Worker Movement?

From “The Catholic Worker Movement described in 140 words”:
The Catholic Worker Movement began simply enough on May 1, 1933, when a journalist named Dorothy Day and a philosopher named Peter Maurin teamed up to publish and distribute a newspaper called “The Catholic Worker.” This radical paper promoted the biblical promise of justice and mercy.

Grounded in a firm belief in the God-given dignity of every human person, their movement was committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, and the Works of Mercy as a way of life. It wasn’t long before Dorothy and Peter were putting their beliefs into action, opening a “house of hospitality” where the homeless, the hungry, and the forsaken would always be welcome.

Over many decades the movement has protested injustice, war, and violence of all forms. Today there are some 228 Catholic Worker communities in the United States and in counties around the world.
To learn more about the Catholic Worker, follow these links:

Works of Mercy
Aims and Means of the Catholic Worker Movement