Dorothy Day’s social activism and calls for pacifism have been inspiring for many Catholics around the world. Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV have been two of her most prominent supporters for over a decade through their public addresses. Day was adamant in her call for peace, nuclear disarmament, workers’ rights, and dedication to the underprivileged throughout her life. Her mission lives on through the Catholic Worker Movement, which she co-founded, and many give her published thoughts new breath every day. 

Her cause for canonization under Pope John Paul II 

In February 2000, Cardinal John O’Connor wrote personally to the Vatican and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. O’Connor appealed directly to the pope at the time on the cause for Day’s canonization, “Much of what [Day] spoke of in terms of social justice anticipated the teachings of Pope John Paul II and lends support to her cause… [Day is] a modern-day devoted daughter of the Church, a daughter who shunned personal aggrandizement and wished that her work, and the work of those who labored at her side on behalf of the poor, might be the hallmark of her life rather than her own self.” Soon after in March, Day was given the title Servant of God by then-Pope John Paul II. Beyond his support of her sainthood, John Paul did not speak specifically about her ministry or the decision to approve this request.  

Pope Benedict XVI shows his support in final days at the Vatican 

On Feb. 13, 2013, just weeks before his resignation on Feb. 28, Pope Benedict XVI cited Day’s conversion story in a public address that focused on her environment growing up and dedication to the faith. “The journey towards faith in such a secularized environment was particularly difficult, but Grace acts nonetheless… God guided [Day] to a conscious adherence to the church, in a lifetime spent dedicated to the underprivileged,” Benedict said. 

WATCH: Robert Ellsberg Speaks About His Work Toward Dorothy Day’s Canonization 

Pope Francis and his devotion to Dorothy Day 

Pope Francis has perhaps shown the greatest and most historic support for the Servant of God. In his papal visit to Washington D.C., Francis visited President Barack Obama and addressed the 114th U.S. Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Officers in the halls of the Capitol Building. In his address, he proclaims the names of “several great Americans” that “build a better future,” they were: “Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.” Francis said, “In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.” 

Pope Francis also showed his devotion to Dorothy Day by writing the foreword to the 2024 reprint of Day’s “From Union Square to Rome.” In it, he said, “The way in which Dorothy Day tells us how she became a Christian believer shows that people are not brought to God by human efforts or strategies, but by grace that springs from charity, witness that is beautiful and active love.” Again, the Holy Father denoting Dorothy’s inspiring story of conversion. 

Pope Leo XIV connects Day through millennia 

On Oct. 4, 2025, Pope Leo XIV released his first apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi Te” or “I have loved you” which focused on his message for Christians to help the poor and in need. Many thought he would make direct reference to Day’s work with the Catholic Worker as a model to help the underprivileged, but this would only come in a Jubilee Audience the next month on Nov. 22, 2025. He said, “Jesus came to bring fire: the fire of God’s love on earth and the fire of desire in our hearts. In a certain way, Jesus takes away our peace, if we think of peace as an inert calm. This, however, is not true peace… [Day] had fire inside her. Dorothy Day took a stand. She saw that her country’s development model didn’t create equal opportunities for everyone; she understood that for too many, the dream was a nightmare; that as a Christian, she had to engage with workers, migrants, and those rejected by a killing economy… She wrote as a journalist; that is, she thought and made others think. Writing is important. And so is reading, today more than ever. And then Dorothy served meals, gave clothes, dressed and ate like those she served: she united mind, heart, and hands. In this way, hoping is taking a stand.”  

In the book, “Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift,” released July 21, 2026, Pope Leo wrote in the foreword of Day as someone who worked tirelessly for peace. “Above all in the atomic era, the affirmation of the truth must push through: it is not atomic weapons that generate peace, but disarmament… Peace seeks witnesses… Servants of God Giorgio La Pira and Dorothy Day are emblematic of many men and women who fostered peace in first person, by overcoming the temptation of corruption, by helping the poor, by supporting diplomacy. Alongside renowned men and women, peace is embodied by little-known protagonists who followed their own conscience,” Leo said. 

Dorothy Day’s continued cause for canonization 

The next step for Dorothy Day’s canonization is the documentation of graces, favors, and miracles attributed to Servant of God Dorothy Day to prepare for beatification and provide more evidence of her holiness. Her cause is currently under review by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to determine if she might be called a Venerable Servant of God. The Dorothy Day Guild helps gather reports of these graces, and the Catholic Worker is still honoring Day’s mission today.