Dorothy Day will stay.

From the very beginning, one of the questions about the Republican National Convention in St. Paul was whether security concerns would prompt the closing of the nearby Dorothy Day Center for the homeless during the Sept. 1-4 festivities. Dorothy Day is just a couple blocks from the Xcel Energy Center, the convention's home.

Would the homeless folks fall within the security zone? Might they move the homeless folks, who line up for lunch every day, to a more distant spot? If so, would that be temporary, or a more permanent thing?

The questions were answered this week, when Dorothy Day officials announced they'd stay open as usual during the convention. That decision was ratified today by Maria Cino, president of the convention. — Joe Kimball

The announcement from Cino:

(SAINT PAUL, Minn.) – Maria Cino, President and CEO of the 2008 Republican National Convention, today issued the following statement of support for the decision by Catholic Charities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis to keep the Dorothy Day Center open during the 2008 Republican National Convention:

Since arriving in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the convention staff has committed itself to giving back and making a difference in our host communities through our American Neighbor Volunteer Program. As part of our efforts, we volunteer several days each month serving meals to homeless and impoverished people at the Dorothy Day Center.  We applaud Catholic Charities' decision to keep the Dorothy Day Center open during the 2008 Republican National Convention, and we call on all who can to join us in volunteering for this vital community program."