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Dorothy Day Research Paper

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Dorothy Day was a woman of much admiration. Through her work with the poor, particularly with her houses of hospitality, she touched many lives and ultimately set an example for Christians to follow in their own lives.
Dorothy was 9 years old when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused her family to relocate. The Day family settled into a tenement flat in Chicago, which enabled Dorothy to gain a different, closer perspective on the lives of the poor. After moving to a more comfortable house across the city, Dorothy often wandered into less fortunate neighborhoods. Though these areas were drab and run-down, Dorothy still found beauty in them. Her residency in Chicago is believed to have spurred the love and care for the poor that Dorothy possessed.
Years later, in New York City, Dorothy’s …show more content…

I admire the way Dorothy took the negative situations in her life and allowed so much goodness to come forth. Seeing the poverty prevalent in the world and losing a spouse is enough to discourage anyone, but Dorothy remained faithful to God despite the loss of her marriage, and she used her heartbreaking images of the poor as a motivator to do all that she could to assist them. As much as I believe the poor deserve more in life and need help, I have not taken the same hands-on approach that Dorothy had. While I donate money, food, and clothes whenever possible, I have not done anything directly related to those in need, such as volunteering in a soup kitchen. With that in mind, Dorothy’s dedication and hands-on approach to the poor is deeply inspiring to me, and it has called on me to reflect on my own life. Prior to my research, I had heard of Dorothy Day and I knew of her work with the poor; however, I was not aware of Dorothy’s personal story and the extent to which she worked to assist those in need. Dorothy has encouraged me to realize how important it is to help wherever we can for those who need

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