Pax Christi USA receives inaugural Dorothy Day Peacemaker award

On June 11, the Dorothy Day Guild, the official body charged with promoting the canonization of Dorothy Day, gave its first Peacemaker award to Pax Christi USA, in acknowledgement of Pax Christi USA’s commitment to Gospel nonviolence and its exemplification of Day’s vision and legacy. The award ceremony took place during a breakfast held in conjunction with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) spring meetings, held this year in Louisville, KY.

“Through its work, Pax Christi USA has been an important voice for peace, justice, and nonviolence in the Catholic community,” said Kevin Ahern, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College. “This newly-created Dorothy Day Peacemaker Award is an important honor and recognition.”

Several Pax Christi USA staff members, board members, and Ambassadors of Peace were present at the ceremony, in addition to members of the Dorothy Day Guild (including Day’s granddaughter, Martha Hennessy), staff members of the USCCB, and more than 10 bishops.

Deirdre Cornell, vice chair of the Guild, gave opening remarks, which were followed by a reading from Day’s writings by Hennessy. Kevin Ahern, chair of the Guild, presented the framed award (designed by the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, CT) to Pax Christi USA’s Bishop President John Stowe and Charlene Howard, chair of Pax Christi USA’s national council, who each gave remarks. The ceremony ended with a prayer led by George Horton, vice-postulator for the Guild.

“So many in Pax Christi USA, myself included, were formed in the Catholic Worker tradition and strive to live out Dorothy’s commitment to personalism, nonviolence and the works of mercy in our everyday discipleship,” said Johnny Zokovitch, Pax Christi USA’s executive director.

Noting that Day was the keynote speaker at Pax Christi USA’s first national assembly in 1973, Zokovitch said, “To be validated for the work that we have done over 50 years by being associated with the life and witness of Dorothy Day couldn’t mean more to us.”

The Guild, located within Manhattan College’s Dorothy Day Center for the Study and Promotion of Social Catholicism, promotes awareness and study of the life and work of Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement who died in 1980. In 2000, after then-Cardinal John O’Connor of New York officially opened the cause for her beatification and canonization, Day was declared a “Servant of God.”

The Guild, established in 2005, works to move the process along by amassing evidence of Day’s eligibility for canonization — since the local diocesan review phase was completed in 2021, the Guild has sent along materials such as eyewitness interviews; a biography; theological reviews of Day’s work; and Day’s own writings, arrest record, and FBI file to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which will determine if Day can be named “Venerable.” (It is also possible to be named “Blessed,” which would require proof of a miracle having been performed in Day’s name. Another miracle must be recorded after having been named “Blessed.” Once the second miracle has been confirmed, the pope can name Day as “Saint.”)

Find all the photos from the event at this link.
Read Deirdre Cornell’s opening remarks at this link.
Click on this link to read about our Wednesday witness outside the USCCB conference in support of CCHD, Bread Not Stones.