Blowing through St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church: The spirit of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin

“With help from a few volunteers, we could bake fresh cookies or have hot soup to offer those looking for a meal,” says barbara bennett tssf. “Wouldn’t that be nice?“

Sexton, Charles Steffey, seen here with his children, is proud to have tackled the sprucing up of the rectory on a shoestring.

YES! The once dilapidated rectory at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church has been given new livery and new innards, and is reborn as Honolulu’s first Catholic Worker house of hospitality. It is affectionately named “Wallyhouse” in recognition of the efforts of Wally Inglis, chair of the Hawaii Coalition for Creative Housing, who paved the way for the funds needed to make the house livable. David Catron and barbara bennett, both members of the Third Order, Society of St. Francis (TSSF) responded to a call put out by St. Elizabeth’s Rector, Rev. David Gierlach to Franciscans interested in starting a Catholic Worker house here. In March, they cemented their commitment to this ministry.

St. Elizabeth’s Rector, Rev. David Gierlach, gathers the group together in prayer to bless Wallyhouse, the beginning of a Catholic Worker community in Honolulu.

On Sunday July 8, 2018, those who had worked hard to bring this project to life, and others interested in learning more, gathered to lift in prayer, Wallyhouse, its Franciscan hosts, and all those who help “do what comes to hand” as Dorothy Day would say, for those in need.

Wally Inglis, second from left, takes joy in how quickly Wallyhouse has become a hub for the houseless, a place where they know they can get food and help with their laundry. Soon, barbara will start Artfelt, an open art studio for the houseless and at-risk youth.Second from right is David Catron, tssf.

As powerless as we appear to be in the face of the unremitting cruelties of our time, this creation of a Catholic Worker community at St. Elizabeth’s is a way to assert, as Day did, that “love, and ever more love is the only solution to every problem that comes up. . . If we love enough we are going to light that fire in the hearts of others. And it is love that will burn out the sins and hatreds that sadden us.”

WALLYHOUSE HOURS of SERVICE

Mon-Fri: 8a.m.-12p.m.; 2p.m. – 4p.m.

Sat: 8a.m.-12.00p.m. Closed on Sunday.

Interested in helping?

Call David Catron  (805)212-0237 or barbara bennett (805)535-5677

In-kind contributions of toiletries, snack food, underwear, laundry soap in pods, art supplies, are welcome. Donations are tax deductible.