Friendship House facts for kids
Friendship House was a special group started in 1934 by a woman named Catherine de Hueck Doherty. She was a Catholic leader who wanted to help people in need. Friendship House began in Toronto, Canada.
Later, Catherine moved to Harlem, New York, where others joined her. They lived among the Black community, helping with their needs and fighting against unfair treatment based on race. This idea of Friendship House then spread to other cities like Chicago.
Catherine Doherty stepped back from leading in 1947. Over time, Friendship House changed its focus. It moved from just helping people with daily needs to working for fairness between different races. The Harlem branch closed in 1960, and the Chicago branch closed in 2000.
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How It Started
The idea for Friendship House came from Catherine de Hueck Doherty's strong belief in helping others. She was born in Russia in 1896 to a rich family. She lived through difficult times, including World War I and the Russian Revolution.
In 1921, Catherine and her first husband moved to Canada. There, she experienced being very poor herself. She had become a Catholic in 1919.
In the early 1930s, Catherine felt a strong calling to live among poor people. She wanted to share their lives and help them directly. This was a new idea for the Catholic Church at that time. But Archbishop Neil McNeil of Toronto believed in her plan. He gave her his blessing to start.
Catherine first thought she would do this work alone. But other people were inspired by her Christian vision. They wanted to join her. The archbishop agreed that this was a good idea.
Friendship House Toronto
Friendship House opened its doors in Toronto on September 14, 1934. This was during the Great Depression, a time when many people were struggling. There was a lot of need, and some groups were trying to take advantage of people's struggles.
Catherine and her helpers collected food and clothes for those who needed them. They also organized fun activities for children and teenagers. They opened a Catholic library where people could borrow books. They offered English classes for immigrants and gave meals to people who had no homes.
To help people understand important ideas, Catherine started study groups. These groups talked about the Catholic Church's teachings on social fairness. Most importantly, they offered friendship to everyone.
In 1936, new Friendship Houses opened in Ottawa and Hamilton. However, Archbishop McNeil, who had supported Catherine, had passed away. The new leader, Cardinal James McGuigan, was not as supportive. There were also disagreements with local church leaders and other people. These problems, along with rumors, led to the Toronto Friendship House closing in 1936.
Friendship House Harlem
After the Toronto house closed, Catherine was invited to New York City. This invitation came from important people like John LaFarge, SJ. In February 1938, Catherine arrived in Harlem. With support from Cardinal Patrick Hayes, she started a new effort to help people of all races. This work became well-known in the American Catholic Church.
The Friendship House in Harlem offered many services. It had a center to help people find jobs. It also had a credit union and a co-op, which helped people save money and buy things together. There was a library named after Martin de Porres. They also had groups like Cub Scouts for kids.
The young people who joined Friendship House lived in the community they served. They focused on prayer and their faith. They wanted to help others, seeing it as serving Christ.
Through her work, talks, and writings, Catherine became a strong voice for racial fairness. This was before the major Civil Rights Movement. She encouraged Catholic leaders and regular people to stop racial discrimination.
Friendship House Chicago
In 1942, a Friendship House branch opened in Chicago. This happened at the request of Bishop Bernard J. Sheil. Ann Harrigan and Ellen Tarry led this new branch.
However, there were growing disagreements among the leaders. These problems became worse when Catherine married Eddie Doherty in 1943. Eventually, Catherine decided to step down as the main leader. She moved back to Canada. There, she started another important group called Madonna House, which grew and became very successful.
Later Years
Friendship House continued to grow in the United States until the late 1950s. New locations opened in Washington, D.C. (1948), Portland, Oregon (1951), and Shreveport, Louisiana (1953). In the 1950s, the Friendship Houses in Portland and Washington, D.C., changed their connection to Madonna House.
As society in the U.S. changed, Friendship House's work also changed. It shifted from just helping people with daily needs to working for fairness between races. Instead of only giving direct help, they started working to change unfair systems. They moved from being a faith-based community living simply to an organization focused on racial justice. They began to hire staff who received a small salary.
Catherine de Hueck Doherty officially left the leadership of the American Friendship House in October 1956. By 1960, Friendship House had become a national movement for racial justice, with its main office in Chicago. The Harlem house closed that year because of money problems and management issues. Finally, in 2000, the Chicago Friendship House closed due to fewer people participating and a lack of money.
Other Groups with Similar Names
It's important not to confuse Catherine de Hueck Doherty's Friendship House with other groups that have similar names. For example, the Friendship House Association in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1904. It was a community center that operated until 2008. The Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service in Illinois is also a separate group.
Many different social service groups use the name "Friendship House." They help people in various ways, such as assisting mothers, helping the homeless, or supporting Native American communities.
See also
- Madonna House Apostolate
- Catholic Worker Movement
- Ellen Tarry
- Friendship House (Washington, D.C.)
