His Holiness Pope Francis wrote the introduction to a book published by the Vatican Library and Publishing House, which is the biography of the writer, journalist and activist for social justice, Dorothy Day, in which she recounts the journey of her faith.
“I found God through his poor. From Atheism to Faith: My Inner Journey,” this is the title of a book published by the Vatican Library and Publishing House. It is the autobiography written by the American journalist, writer, and activist in defense of the poor, against armaments, and for social justice, Dorothy Day, who founded the labor movement. Catholics.
Pope Francis wrote the introduction to this edition and began pointing out that the life of Dorothy Day constitutes one of the evidences of what Pope Benedict XVI strongly affirmed and what I have repeatedly said, that is, that the Church grows by gravitation, not by proselytizing. He continued that Dorothy Day’s account of her arrival in the Christian faith makes it clear that it is not human efforts or plans that bring a person closer to God, but the grace that comes from love, the beauty that comes from martyrdom, the love that becomes tangible. Pope Francis added that the story of Dorothy Day, who was active throughout her life in favor of social justice and the rights of people, especially the poor, exploited and marginalized workers in society, and who was declared a servant of God in the year 2000, is a testimony to what St. James wrote in his letter: “Show me your faith without works, I will show you my faith.” with my deeds.”
In the introduction to the book, His Holiness, the Pope, wanted to stop at three elements highlighted by Dorothy Day’s narration of her life, adding that these three elements constitute a useful education for all in our time, namely restlessness, the church, and service. Speaking about the first element, Pope Francis mentioned that Dorothy Day was feeling uncomfortable, and when she began the process of converting to Christianity, she was a young woman who did not reach the age of thirty, and she refused religious rituals. However, her growing spiritual search made her view faith and God not as filling a void, as one theologian wrote, but as the fullness of life and the goal of the search for happiness. The Holy Father cited here a passage from the book in which Dorothy Day tells how she used to turn to God when she was alone, adding that this does not mean that fear of loneliness and pain is what prompted her to do so, but rather that she found God during these years of loneliness through joy and thanksgiving. Pope Francis continued, stressing that this teaches us that God is not an instrument of consolation in bitter moments, but rather abundantly fills our desire for joy and self-fulfillment. God searches for restless hearts, the pope said, adding that reading these pages and learning about Dorothy Day’s religious career can teach us to keep a true picture of God.
Speaking about the second element in the book, i.e. the church, Pope Francis said that Dorothy Day speaks beautiful words about the Catholic Church, which seemed to her, as a social and trade union activist, close to the rich, but with the growth of Dorothy’s adherence to the truth of faith, meditation on the divine character also grew. of the Catholic Church, not from an uncritical fidelity or from an official defense, but from an honest and enlightened position that succeeded in seeing in the life of the Church an inseparable bond with the sacrament away from the many repeated failures of its members. The Holy Father referred here to another passage from the book in which Dorothy Day confirms that the attacks targeting the Church have proven to her divinity, for only a divine institution can transcend the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and the sins of many who profess their faith. They had to take care of the poor, as I wrote. Pope Francis praised Dorothy Day’s ability as a free woman not to deny mistakes, but on the other hand, she sees a direct relationship between the Church and God, because the Church is God’s Church, not our Church. It is the calling and identity of the Church.
Pope Francis then stops at the third element in Dorothy Day’s narrative, which is service. In this context, he said that Day served others throughout her life, even before she fully attained the faith. He added that their preparation through her work as a journalist and activist has become a path through which God touched her heart. In her book, she mentioned that striving for justice is one of the ways in which every person can realize, also unconsciously, God’s dream of a reconciled humanity in which the fragrance of love covers the disgusting smell of selfishness. And the Pope returned again to the words of Dorothy Day when she emphasized that human love in its best form that illuminates our days makes us see God’s love for man, and added that love is the best that we can know in this life. Pope Francis continued that these words teach us something really useful today, namely, that believers and non-believers become allied in promoting the dignity of every person when they love and serve the most abandoned of human beings.
At the end of his introduction to the book, Pope Francis stopped at the slogan of social movements in favor of workers, which Dorothy Day conveys in her book, namely, “The problem of one is the problem of all.” His Holiness said that this slogan reminds him of a famous phrase by Father Lorenzo Milani, who celebrates the first centenary of his birth this year, as the hero of a book mentioned by him: “I have learned that the problem of others is equal to my problem. Going out of it together is politics, and going out alone is greed.” The Pope added that service must become a policy in the sense of concrete choices so that justice prevails and the dignity of each person is protected. His Holiness concluded that Dorothy Day, whom he wanted to mention in his speech in the US Congress during his Apostolic Visit to the United States in 2015, provides us with motivation and examples in this difficult and attractive journey.
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2023-08-20 09:38:19
