Alex Palma

In this essay, I’m wrestling with the intellectual ideas behind The Catholic Worker, and
especially Peter Maurin. During his young adulthood, Maurin entered the noviate of The
Christian Brothers of St. Jean-Baptiste De La Salle. At that early time in his life, Maurin’s
relationship with the Brothers was tumultuous. He was moved between assignments year
after year, never taking his final vows- eventually leaving the Brothers in 1902. Despite
leaving the Brothers, Maurin would stay in touch with Lasallian ideas throughout his life. In
fact, I argue that there are demonstrable ways in which The Catholic Worker patterned itself
after the institutions, communitarianism and vocations found inside The Christian Brothers.
Amongst individual Christian Brothers, the engagement goes both ways. In my research, I’ve
found multiple touchpoints between The Catholic Worker among the Brothers themselves.
Several Brothers have been (or still are) members of Catholic Worker houses across the U.
S. Further, I demonstrate that the teaching institutions of the Christian Brothers often
synthesize The Catholic Worker (or the values therein) into contemporary Lasallian
pedagogical approaches.