The Aims and Means of The Catholic Worker: Their Governing Principles for Helping People

The Catholic Worker movement uses principles centered on human dignity rather than profit to guide its work. According to Patrick Grady, these beliefs have shaped the movement since the mid-1930s and are based on the Gospel Works of Mercy, the doctrine of the common good from St. Thomas Aquinas, and a rejection of capitalist ideals in favor of God's justice.

The movement first explicitly outlined these aims in the May 1936 edition of its publication. In that edition, Dorothy Day called readers to action by sharing the social justice doctrines found in papal encyclicals. A primary principle established during this time was voluntary poverty, which encourages using excess resources to help those in need instead of hoarding wealth. This frugal lifestyle was intended to mirror the lives of Jesus and his disciples to help sustain the publication and spread its message. Co-founder Peter Maurin also helped outline these early beliefs.