In 2016, Pope Francis added an eighth corporal work of mercy (Care for our Common Home) and an eighth spiritual work of mercy (Contemplation of Creation). Here is what he had to say….
“Nothing unites us to God more than an act of mercy, for it is by mercy that the Lord forgives our sins and gives us the grace to practise acts of mercy in his name.” To paraphrase Saint James, “we can say that mercy without works is dead … In our rapidly changing and increasingly globalized world, many new forms of poverty are appearing. In response to them, we need to be creative in developing new and practical forms of charitable outreach as concrete expressions of the way of mercy.” The Christian life involves the practice of the traditional seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy. “We usually think of the works of mercy individually and in relation to a specific initiative: hospitals for the sick, soup kitchens for the hungry, shelters for the homeless, schools for those to be educated, the confessional and spiritual direction for those needing counsel and forgiveness… But if we look at the works of mercy as a whole, we see that the object of mercy is human life itself and everything it embraces.” Obviously “human life itself and everything it embraces” includes care for our common home.
So let me propose a complement to the two traditional sets of seven: may the works of mercy also include care for our common home. As a spiritual work of mercy, care for our common home calls for a “grateful contemplation of God’s world” (Laudato Si, 214) which “allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us” (ibid., 85). As a corporal work of mercy, care for our common home requires “simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness” and “makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world” (ibid., 230-31).
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The mission of CHA is to advance the Catholic health ministry of the United States in caring for people and communities. |
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Website dedicated to the Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California on Caring for those who Suffer from Mental Illness |
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In their 2002 Document, When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women, the US Bishops unequivocally condemned domestic violence and called upon the Church to reach out to victim and perpetrator alike. Click on the links and see what your parish can do....
> 2019 Preaching Resource
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How Can We Help to End Violence in Catholic Families: A Guide for Clergy, Religious and Laity – a 100-page illustrated booklet by Dr. Christauria Welland, with Imprimatur from the Diocese of San Diego, CA, USA, on violence in Catholic families, how to respond to and prevent violence, and how to educate Catholic youth and couples for peace. |
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Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse: A resource pack compiled by The National Board of Catholic Women, a Consultative body to the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and with consultative status with the United Nations (ECOSOC). |
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"FaithTrust Institute is an international, multifaith organization working to end sexual and domestic violence. We provide communities and advocates with the tools and knowledge they need to address the religious and cultural issues related to abuse. FaithTrust Institute works with many communities, including Asian and Pacific Islander, Buddhist, Jewish, Latino/a, Muslim, Black, Anglo, Indigenous, Protestant and Roman Catholic." |
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