Staten Island ferry named for Dorothy Day makes maiden voyage

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  – A floating monument to Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, made its maiden voyage to Manhattan April 28, sailing forth from Day’s adopted home of Staten Island that afternoon.

Day had deep roots on Staten Island, one of New York’s five boroughs. She was received into the Catholic Church there and lived part of her life there. As an adult, she was baptized at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Tottenville in 1927.

Retired New York Auxiliary Bishop John J. O’Hara, Auxiliary Bishop Peter J. Byrne and Msgr. Kevin O’Sullivan of Catholic Charities represented the Archdiocese of New York.

“Our saint. Our Dorothy Day, whom the Lord called over the years, and then in an encounter on the South Shore on the beach with a Sister of Charity, he began drawing her closer and closer and closer. As he formed those prophets of old, so too did he form this great woman,” said Bishop O’Hara in remarks at the ferry’s launch.

The bishop was referring to Sister Aloysia Mary Mulhern, whom Day had approached in 1926 to ask where she could have her newborn daughter, Tamar, baptized. The conversation led to Sr. Mulhern instructing Day in the Catholic faith and her baptism Dec. 28, 1927.

Day is a candidate for sainthood and was given the title “Servant of God” when her cause was officially opened in 2000.

“She is not to be admired; she is to be imitated. And as we set sail today on this vessel which bears her name, this ‘Servant of God,’ whom we pray will one day be St. Dorothy Day – I think she’s St. Dorothy Day already,” said Bishop O’Hara, to applause from the approximately 200 guests in attendance.

“Dorothy Day is just the third Staten Island Ferry boat ever to be named after a specific woman. It is only fitting and appropriate to have this new ferry enshrined (with) the name Dorothy Day,” said New York State Assemblyman Charles D. Fall, in a statement. “Just as she did with her activism, the ferry continues to bring all walks of life, ethnicity and faith together as we sail forward. We are proud as a community to have this ferry today commissioned after the legendary 20th-century Catholic peace icon.”