John Cort
Encyclopedia
John C. Cort was a longtime Christian socialist writer and activist. He was the co-chair of the Religion and Socialism Commission of the Democratic Socialists of America
.
He was based in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts. He fathered 10 children with his wife, Helen Haye Cort, and he still cantored in his local parish at the age of 92.
Soon after graduating from Harvard College
(class of 1935) and converting to Catholicism, he was moved by a speech by Dorothy Day
. He was one of the earliest Catholic Workers who started at the Mott Street House in 1936. He worked with the Catholic Worker
for a few years. For several years he edited the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists' Labor Leader. He served on the editorial staff of Commonweal
magazine from 1943 to 1959. He was an assistant director of the Peace Corps
. In the 1970s he directed the Model Cities Program
in Lynn, Massachusetts
.
He wrote several books and articles for magazines. He was the founding editor of the Religion and Socialism Commission's Religious Socialism magazine. http://www.religioussocialism.com/pdf/2001-02.win.pdf He contributed to the American Friends Service Committee
's Peacework Magazine. http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/pwork/1000/peacewrk.htm
He was described as "personally conservative but socially and politically radical, well-read but never pedantic, funny, chivalrous, of broad culture but a man of the people." Unlike most Catholic Workers, John Cort was not a pacifist, but he did oppose the Vietnam War
using the Just War
theory. http://catholicworkerdigest.blogspot.com/
John Cort's papers are housed at the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives at Catholic University.
Democratic Socialists of America
Democratic Socialists of America is a social-democratic organization in the United States and the U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International, an international federation of social-democratic,democratic socialist and labor political parties and organizations.DSA was formed in 1982 by a merger of...
.
He was based in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts. He fathered 10 children with his wife, Helen Haye Cort, and he still cantored in his local parish at the age of 92.
Soon after graduating from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
(class of 1935) and converting to Catholicism, he was moved by a speech by Dorothy Day
Dorothy Day
Dorothy Day was an American journalist, social activist and devout Catholic convert; she advocated the Catholic economic theory of Distributism. She was also considered to be an anarchist, and did not hesitate to use the term...
. He was one of the earliest Catholic Workers who started at the Mott Street House in 1936. He worked with the Catholic Worker
Catholic Worker
The Catholic Worker is a newspaper published seven times a year by the Catholic Worker Movement community in New York City. The newspaper was started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin to make people aware of church teaching on social justice...
for a few years. For several years he edited the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists' Labor Leader. He served on the editorial staff of Commonweal
Commonweal
Commonweal is a American journal of opinion edited and managed by lay Catholics. It is headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City.-History:...
magazine from 1943 to 1959. He was an assistant director of the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
. In the 1970s he directed the Model Cities Program
Model Cities Program
The Model Cities Program was an element of United States President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and War on Poverty. The ambitious federal urban aid program ultimately fell short of its goals....
in Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...
.
He wrote several books and articles for magazines. He was the founding editor of the Religion and Socialism Commission's Religious Socialism magazine. http://www.religioussocialism.com/pdf/2001-02.win.pdf He contributed to the American Friends Service Committee
American Friends Service Committee
The American Friends Service Committee is a Religious Society of Friends affiliated organization which works for peace and social justice in the United States and around the world...
's Peacework Magazine. http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/pwork/1000/peacewrk.htm
He was described as "personally conservative but socially and politically radical, well-read but never pedantic, funny, chivalrous, of broad culture but a man of the people." Unlike most Catholic Workers, John Cort was not a pacifist, but he did oppose the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
using the Just War
Just War
Just war theory is a doctrine of military ethics of Roman philosophical and Catholic origin, studied by moral theologians, ethicists and international policy makers, which holds that a conflict ought to meet philosophical, religious or political criteria.-Origins:The concept of justification for...
theory. http://catholicworkerdigest.blogspot.com/
John Cort's papers are housed at the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives at Catholic University.
Selected bibliography
- Christian Socialism: An Informal History, published in 1988 by Orbis Books. (ISBN 0883446006)
- Dreadful Conversions: The Making of a Catholic Socialist Fordham University Press, 2003