Anyone who heard my introduction to Dr. Peter Simpson's wonderful talk at our Day of Recollection on Sunday, August 29, either in person in the Abbey Church or via livestreaming, might remember a brief reference made about a group called The Dorothy Day Canonization Prayer Network. The Network began in 2011 even before the work of her cause had started. Our Portsmouth Abbey Oblates have been invited to join forces in prayer with 26 other oblate groups around the country to choose one day each month to pray for those in need who are seeking Dorothy's intercession. Since Abbot Matthew Stark already leads the monks in the canonization prayer on the first Saturday of each month, we encourage our oblates and friends to offer their prayer on the same day.  

Servant of God Dorothy Day made her promise of final oblation as a secular oblate of St. Benedict on April 26, 1955, for St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, Illinois. She was a member of Nativity Parish in New York City and made her promise at Holy Innocents Parish Church, also in New York, taking the patronal name of Benedicta. It is wholly appropriate, then, that Benedictine oblates everywhere support this final push to its next level.  

In a Vatican letter dated March 2, 2018, from Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan (native of St. Louis), an update is given "regarding the status of the Diocesan Inquiry into the life, the heroic virtues and the reputation of holiness and of intercessory power (super vita et virtutibus necnon fama sanctitatis et signorum) of the Servant of God Dorothy Day, Laywoman, Co-Founder of the Catholic Worker Movement." Enclosed with the letter to Cardinal Dolan was "the Rescript authorizing the change to the title of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, with the addition to the title of 'Oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict'."  

The preliminary Diocesan Inquiry phase is almost completed and the 40,000+ pages of documents which have been generated are being readied to dispatch to the Vatican on December 8. Pending their review of the documents, it is expected that the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will recommend to Pope Francis that he declare her a Venerable Servant of God, perhaps as early as next year. With the final level comes the waiting process for the miracles, two of which are needed for Dorothy's canonization. Thus, the Network's focus has turned to praying for the growing number of people who themselves are praying for Dorothy's intercession for a special favor or grace. It is some of these granted requests that will rise to the level of miracles.  

Additional information is available at the Network's website:  www.DorothyDayaSaint.org, which includes a page dedicated to Benedictines. To build on the foundational groundwork laid by Benedictine oblates, the Network next plans to enlist the participation of superiors of every Benedictine monastery.
 

PRAYER for the CANONIZATION of
SERVANT OF GOD DOROTHY DAY
(1897 - 1980)

God our Father,
Your servant Dorothy Day exemplified
the Catholic faith by her life
of prayer, voluntary poverty, works of mercy, 
and witness to the justice and peace
of the Gospel of Jesus.

May her life inspire your people
To turn to Christ as their Savior,
To see His face in the world's poor, and
To raise their voices for the justice
of God's kingdom.

I pray that her holiness may be recognized 
by your Church and that you grant
the following favor that I humbly ask
through her intercession
(here mention your request).
I ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.