Day, Dorothy (1897–1980)

US social activist. Initially a Marxist, she became a Catholic and, with Peter Maurin, founded the Catholic Worker movement, which was devoted to aiding the poor. Her writings include a 1952 autobiography, The Long Loneliness.

She was born in New York City. Under the Catholic Worker movement, she helped set up ‘hospitality houses’ and other facilities. She promoted a philosophy of personal Christian social activism, which was given a forum in the Catholic Worker newspaper. Deeply spiritual, she was widely regarded as a modern-day saint.