Ethan Rhodes
A house of hospitality is an organization that provides shelter, food, and clothing to those in need. While the first Catholic Worker houses were started with a Catholic worldview, many of their principles are congruent with Quaker values. Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, viewed houses of hospitality as a biblical mandate based on the works of mercy, the book of Isaiah, and the book of Matthew. In 1933, the Catholic Worker Movement opened the first House of Hospitality for women in New York. As of 2018, there are over 245 self-proclaimed Catholic Worker communities centered around Houses of Hospitality in cities worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of organization | Houses of hospitality are organizations that provide shelter, food, and clothing to those in need. |
| Religious affiliation | While houses of hospitality were originally part of the Catholic Worker Movement, they are now run by organizations with various religious affiliations, including non-Catholic and non-Christian groups. |
| History | The first House of Hospitality was opened in 1933 by the Catholic Worker Movement to accommodate women in need. |
| Location | Houses of hospitality are typically located in urban communities and can be found in various cities around the world, including New York, Rochester, Pittsburgh, Chicago, England, and more. |
| Impact | In San Francisco, a housing placement program helped over 300 residents obtain or maintain housing and avoid homelessness. |
| Volunteers | Volunteers in houses of hospitality may engage in various activities such as cleaning, cooking, gardening, and participating in religious practices like silent morning prayers. |
| Core principles | Houses of hospitality strive for simplicity, equality, and integrity in a world marked by excess, poverty, and injustice. |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Worker Movement
Day and Maurin's newspaper helped spread the movement's ideas to other cities in the United States, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. By 1941, more than 30 independent but affiliated communities had been founded. Between 1965 and 1980, an additional 76 communities were established, with 35 still in existence today. In total, there are well over 200 communities worldwide, including several in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden.
The houses of hospitality within the Catholic Worker Movement are based on the principles of communitarianism and personalism, with each house having a unique mission tailored to its local region. These houses provide a place for workers and scholars to come together and discuss Christian principles of organisation. They emphasise personal action and responsibility rather than political action and state responsibility. They also care for the unemployed, teach cooperation and mutual aid, and serve as a halfway house to farming communes and homesteads.
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Dorothy Day's rationale
Day saw houses of hospitality as a biblical mandate, rooted in the works of mercy, such as "shelter the homeless" and "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" from the books of Isaiah and Matthew, respectively. In her essay, "Room for Christ," she wrote, "It is no use to say that we are born 2000 years too late to give room to Christ.... Giving shelter or food to anyone who asks for it, or needs it, is giving it to Christ."
Day encouraged people of all faith backgrounds to embrace this form of hospitality, recognizing that "works of mercy" are also performed by many Protestant, Quaker, and other groups. She emphasized that providing hospitality to those in need is a fundamental aspect of her religious beliefs. Day's houses of hospitality were intensely religious, aiming to deepen the faith of those they served, primarily in urban communities.
Houses of hospitality, as envisioned by Day, also served a broader social purpose. They brought workers and scholars together, fostering discussions on Christian principles of organization, personal action, and mutual aid. They cared for the unemployed, the sick, and those displaced due to medical issues. Additionally, these houses promoted equality and integrity in a world marked by poverty and wealth inequality. Day's Catholic Worker Movement, founded on principles of Christian anarchism, provided hospitality without charge and without requiring religious practice, making their services accessible to all.
By 2018, there were over 245 self-proclaimed Catholic Worker communities worldwide, most of them centered around houses of hospitality. Day's legacy continues to inspire and guide those striving to provide shelter, food, and compassion to those in need.
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Religious Education and Contemporary Social Conditions
The concept of houses of hospitality is rooted in the Catholic Worker Movement, co-founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the United States during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The movement aimed to address the plight of the homeless, providing shelter, food, and clothing without charge and without requiring religious practice. Over time, the initiative expanded beyond Catholic Worker communities, with various organizations, including non-Catholic and non-Christian groups, embracing the principles of Christian anarchism to offer hospitality to those in need.
Houses of hospitality, also known as hospitality houses, are physical spaces, often located in urban communities, that provide accommodation and other essential services to individuals and families facing homelessness or displacement due to medical issues. These houses are typically run by volunteers who embody the values of openness and generosity, welcoming strangers with unlocked doors. The daily life of volunteers in these houses involves a range of tasks, from practical chores like cleaning and gardening to participating in silent morning prayers and community discussions.
The underlying philosophy of houses of hospitality extends beyond mere charitable acts of providing shelter and meals. They are intended to foster a sense of community and mutual respect, transcending religious and socio-economic boundaries. Volunteers and residents live together, blurring the lines between guests and hosts, creating an environment of equality and shared humanity. This approach aligns with the biblical mandate found in the works of mercy, the book of Isaiah, and the book of Matthew, emphasizing the importance of welcoming strangers and sheltering the homeless.
In contemporary social conditions, the relevance of houses of hospitality remains profound. With rising unemployment, income disparities, and a growing number of individuals facing homelessness, these houses serve as a safety net for those struggling to meet their basic needs. They offer not just physical shelter but also a sense of belonging and community for individuals who might otherwise feel marginalized and forgotten. Additionally, houses of hospitality address fundamental injustices by providing not only immediate relief but also long-term solutions, such as employment programs and housing placement services, that empower individuals to regain stability and independence.
The impact of houses of hospitality extends beyond the individuals they directly serve. They bring together workers and scholars, fostering discussions, distributing literature, and engaging in social activism. This intersection of hospitality and social consciousness raises awareness of societal issues and encourages collective action to address them. As of 2018, there were over 245 self-proclaimed Catholic Worker communities worldwide, with a presence in cities across the United States, England, and beyond. These communities continue to inspire and challenge society to embrace the values of compassion, generosity, and mutual support.
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Hospital hospitality houses
These hospitality houses are designed to foster a shared experience and sense of community. They feature common areas, including full kitchens, laundry facilities, and quiet reflection spaces. One such example is the Hope Lodge, which specifically caters to cancer patients and their caregivers, offering emotional support and the opportunity to build meaningful connections with others in similar situations.
To stay at a hospital hospitality house, patients typically need a referral from their doctor and may be required to provide a daily donation, although this is often flexible based on what the guest can afford. These houses are often run by volunteers, who ensure the smooth operation of the facilities and create a welcoming environment for those in need.
The Healthcare Hospitality Network is another organisation that connects healthcare hospitality houses with businesses and services that can support their work. They provide a platform for education, connection, and advocacy, offering over 1,600 courses and various webinars and discussions for their members. This network aims to enhance the sense of community and belonging that these hospitality houses offer to patients and caregivers.
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The Religious Society of Friends
Quakers are united by a belief in the ability of all humans to be guided by the inward light to "make the witness of God" known to everyone. They believe that all people are sacred and can interact directly with the divine without the need for priests or other intermediaries. This is known as the "Inner Light", and it emphasizes equality in social relations and religious practice. Quakers also traditionally professed a priesthood of all believers inspired by the First Epistle of Peter. They include those with evangelical, holiness, liberal, and traditional Quaker understandings of Christianity, as well as Nontheist Quakers. Quakers have no creed, and their worship services are gatherings of silent contemplation with no rituals or recited prayers.
Quaker communities gather at least once a week for silent worship, often in a meetinghouse. In the United Kingdom, there are 478 local meetings and 14,260 adult members, with an additional 8,560 non-member adults who attend worship and 2,251 children. In the United States, there are about 75,000 Quakers, and in 1700, there were about 55,000. In 2017, there were an estimated 377,557 adult Quakers globally, with 49% in Africa and 22% in North America.
Quakers strive towards simplicity, equality, integrity, community, and peace. They have traditionally practiced teetotalism, worn plain dress, and refused to swear oaths or participate in war. They have also been active in philanthropic efforts, including the abolition of slavery, prison reform, and social justice.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2018, there are over 245 self-proclaimed Catholic Worker communities centred around Houses of Hospitality in cities around the world.
A house of hospitality is an organisation that provides shelter, food, and clothing to those in need. It was originally part of the Catholic Worker Movement, founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, but is now run by other organisations, including non-Catholic and non-Christian ones.
The first House of Hospitality was opened by the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933 in New York. It could accommodate 15 women and provided heating and hot water. The movement was founded on the principles of Christian anarchism and aimed to provide hospitality without charge and without requiring religious practice.
The core purpose of a house of hospitality is to provide hospitality and support to individuals in need, such as those experiencing homelessness or poverty. They also strive towards simplicity, equality, and integrity in a world characterised by excess, wealth inequality, and unsustainable economic practices.
