On April 11, Pope Francis announced that the coming year would be a year of mercy. The year officially begins on December 8, 2015 (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and ends on November 20, 2016 (the Feast of Christ the King).
In recognition of this wonderful occasion, we as a family of parishes will be highlighting the spiritual and corporal works of mercy over the next 14 months.
The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities… Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God. (CCC 2447)
Corporal Works of Mercy
- Feed the Hungry
- Give Drink to the Thirsty
- Welcome the Stranger
- Clothe the Naked
- Visit the Sick
- Visit the Imprisoned
- Bury the Dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy
- Instruct the Ignorant
- Counsel the Doubtful
- Comfort the Afflicted
- Admonish the Sinner
- Forgive Offenses
- Bear Wrongs Patiently
- Pray for the Living and the Dead
Starting in November, we will be highlighting one work of mercy each month, speaking a bit about its meaning and focusing on the ministries within our parishes and archdiocese that give us the opportunity to carry it out.
We, the staff, look forward to journeying with you throughout the year!
“How greatly I desire that all those places where the Church is present, especially our parishes and our communities, may become islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference!” ~Pope Francis
“Mercy…is the key to evangelization; it is what unlocks conversion.” ~Austin Ivereigh
“[I]t is about concentrating on saving the lost rather than on worrying about losing the saved.” ~Austin Ivereigh
“The ministers of the church must be ministers of mercy above all.” ~Pope Francis
“Instead of being just a church that welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new roads, that is able to step outside itself and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent.” ~Pope Francis
