Maurin, Peter - Timeline Biography
Time Period
05-09-1877 - 05-15-1949
Description
Peter Maurin was a French peasant that immigrated to Canada to escape the French draft, and then eventually settled in the United States doing whatever work he could find. He began to embrace poverty as a gift from God and would study the writings of great Catholic thinkers. He developed a philosophy of Christian personalism, stressing the value and dignity of each person and he dreamed of a social order that would transform society.
In 1932, he met Dorothy Day, a Catholic convert and journalist, through a suggestion of a Catholic editor. At first, Dorothy Day simply tolerated the talkative, untidy peasant, but she began to embrace his ideals and vision. Together, they founded the Catholic Worker Movement, which included farming communes, hospitality houses, and the Catholic Worker (1933) newspaper. His acclaimed "easy essays" in the newspaper referred to the homeless as "ambassadors of God," worthy of food and shelter.
In 1932, he met Dorothy Day, a Catholic convert and journalist, through a suggestion of a Catholic editor. At first, Dorothy Day simply tolerated the talkative, untidy peasant, but she began to embrace his ideals and vision. Together, they founded the Catholic Worker Movement, which included farming communes, hospitality houses, and the Catholic Worker (1933) newspaper. His acclaimed "easy essays" in the newspaper referred to the homeless as "ambassadors of God," worthy of food and shelter.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Catholicism (Western Liturgical Family): Other ARDA LinksCatholicism (Western Liturgical Family): Religious Family Tree
Events
Catholic Worker MovementMovements
Catholic Worker MovementPhotographs
Peter Maurin portrait- courtesy of The Marquette University Archives
Peter Maurin portrait- Internet Archive - from Catholic Radicalism by Peter Maurin
Peter Maurin reading- courtesy of The Marquette University Archives
Book/Journal Source(s)
Glazier, Michael, and Thomas Shelley, 1997. The Encyclopedia of American Catholic History Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press..McBrien, Richard, 1995. The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism New York: HarperCollins.
Reid, Daniel, Robert Linder, Bruce Shelley, and Harry Stout, 1990. Dictionary of Christianity in America Downers Grove, IL.
Web Page Contributor
Benjamin T. GurrentzAffliated with: Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Sociology
