The Dorothea Project
On Earth as it is in Heaven
We are a community of Catholic women formed by Catholic Social Teaching, called to speak truth and defend human dignity.
Who We Are
A Project Rooted in Faith, Focused on Justice
Our mission is to educate on Catholic Social Teaching so our communities are empowered to speak truth and act in defense of vulnerable people whenever human rights and human dignity are violated.
The Dorothea Project is a growing movement of Catholic women called to live our faith out loud. Formed by the wisdom of the Church and fueled by a deep desire for justice, we exist to empower communities to defend human dignity, and respond to injustice with courage and love.
Our name reflects what we are- a project in motion.
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Dorothy Day
Servant of God
“People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that. No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There is too much work to do.”
Our Patrons in Faith
Guided by Women of Courage and the Sorrowful Heart of Mary
At the heart of The Dorothea Project is a deep reverence for the faithful witnesses who inspire us; women who prayed, preached, organized, and endured in the name of Christ and the dignity of every human person.
They are our patrons, our examples, and our intercessors. We walk this path with their prayers.
Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman
Sr. Thea radiated joy, wisdom, and unwavering faith. A teacher, preacher, and spiritual mother to many, she called the Church to deeper love, honest dialogue, and shared holiness. With song, truth, and fire, she bore prophetic witness to racial injustice and cultural dignity—showing us what it means to show up fully, faithfully, and unafraid.
Sorrowful Heart of Mary
Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, lived through injustice that pierced her heart. She did not look away. She stood at the foot of the Cross and held the world’s grief in fierce, faithful love. We look to her as our patron- a woman who stayed, who held pain without despair, and who teaches us how to show up in sorrow with courage and tenderness.
Servant of God Dorothy Day
Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement and a radical pacifist, gave her life to those on the margins: workers, immigrants, the unhoused, and the forgotten. She lived the Gospel with fierce clarity, insisting that faith must lead to hospitality, resistance, and solidarity with the poor. Her witness invites us to a life of simplicity, mercy, and holy defiance.
“I think the difference between me and some people is that I’m content to do my little bit. Sometimes people think they have to do big things in order to make change. But if each one would light a candle we’d have a tremendous light.”
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Sr. Thea Bowman
Servant of God
Because our faith demands more than silence.
When justice is at stake, so are we.
Why We Show Up
We are women who stay when the world turns away.
Who carry sorrow in one hand and courage in the other.
Who believe faith is not silence but presence, action, and love.
We show up not because it’s easy.
But because we’re called.
Because justice matters.
Because Christ is still crucified in the world and we will not look away.
Because the Sermon on the Mount was never metaphor, it was marching orders.
Take Action
Echo Pope Leo’s Calls for Peace
Use our call script to call Vice President Vance and your representatives to advocate for peace and diplomacy above war and violence. Not sure how to reach them? Our script has walks you through that, too! Access the script via the button below.
Ready to Start or Join a Chapter?
Take the next step in living out your faith in community. Whether you’re interested in joining a local group or starting one of your own, we’ll help you get connected and equipped.
Submit the Chapter Interest Form to get started, and join us for our next Chapter Orientation on Tuesday, April 14 at 8 PM ET to learn what chapters look like, how they work, and how you can be part of it.