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).
The following links are provided as a service to those who are engaged in Diaconal ministry or formation. The diocese is not responsible for their content, and does not necessarily agree with the material found or opinions expressed on those sites. Some of the sites are explicitly Catholic; others are not. Please report any concerns or broken links to the Director of Formation.
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Hospital & Health Care Ministry
| Popes / Vatican |
Salvifici Doloris (Pope St. John Paul II) |
| From the USCCB |
Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (6th Edition) |
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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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| With a unified voice, the Supportive Care Coalition advances palliative care excellence in Catholic health care settings through education, advocacy, mission and ethical integration as well as the promotion of spiritual care in palliative care. |
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| The Conversation Project® is a public engagement initiative with a goal that is both simple and transformative: to have every person’s wishes for end-of-life care expressed and respected. |
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| See especially their resources webpage, which includes links to other websites, prayer & spirituality resources, and information on ethical issues. |
| The Association for Catholic Mental Health Ministers (ACMHM) is a Lay Association of the Christian Faithful whose members are called to be a healing presence in the lives of people with mental illness. Members of the ACMHM see Christ in those who live with a mental illness and walk with people living with a mental illness to help them find the support and services that they need. |
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| National Alliance on Mental |
NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need. |
| NAMI FaithNet is a network of NAMI members and friends dedicated to promoting caring faith communities and promoting the role of faith in recovery for individuals and families affected by mental illness. This site is a reflection of a closer partnership between NAMI, NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliate leaders. |
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| The purpose of the Commission on Mental Illness is to educate and resource parishes on the spiritual and supportive needs of persons with serious mental illnesses such as bi-polar disease, major depressive illnesses, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Since mental illness not only affects the individual with the disease but also family members, the needs of the entire family are addressed. |
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| A ministry of Catholic Charities of the Archdicoese of Chicago, "offering hope and healing for those who mourn a loss to sucide." |
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| Pastoral, theological, catechetical, and other resources. Includes a section on suicide prevention. |
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| Website dedicated to the Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California on Caring for those who Suffer from Mental Illness |
Prison/Jail Ministry
Dismas Ministry
-A national Catholic outreach among inmates and those affected by crime. Website includes links to other resources.
Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) to End the Use of the Death Penalty
-CMN proclaims the Church’s unconditional pro-life teaching and its application to capital punishment and restorative justice.
Restorative Justice Project
-The Catholic Lawyers Guild’s Restorative Justice Project had its inception in a suggestion from Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, and partners with the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago.
International Network of Prison Ministries
-A website whose purpose is to bring under one Internet roof all Prison Ministries involved in crime prevention and in rehabilitation through the Word of God worldwide (ecumenical).
Catholic Social Teaching and Criminal Justice
-PDF from the Jesuits at Loyola, New Orleans
American History, Race, and Prison
-the history of mass incarceration in the US and its connection to racism
Iowa Justice Action Network
-a state-wide network of stakeholders working for reform to the criminal legal system
| Catholic Current (USCCB) |
A one-stop-shop for ministry needs, brimming with resources to help you inspire, inform, and engage Catholics in their faith. |
| National Community of Catechetical Leaders (NCCL) | The mission of the National Community of Catechetical Leaders is to promote the ministries of evangelization and catechesis in the U.S. Catholic Church by fostering a community of leaders who proclaim and teach the Word of Jesus Christ through the witness of accompaniment, education, and formation in the Catholic faith. |
| Pastoral Care of... |
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| the Elderly |
From the Pontifical Council for the Laity (Vatican Website) |
| the Environment |
From the US Bishops: |
| Migrants |
From the US Bishops: |
| Persons with Disabilities |
From the US Bishops (NCPD website): |
| LGBTQ+ Community |
From the Vatican (CDF) and the US Bishops. |
| Rural Life |
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| Workers |
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
| National Dometic Violence Hotline |
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| Iowa Coalition Against |
The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence seeks to engage all people in a movement to change the social and political systems that perpetuate violence against women. ICADV does this through education, advocacy and quality services. Click here for a map and contact information for services around the state. |
| Children and Families of Iowa: Domestic Violence Services |
For the Des Moines Area. |
| Information targetted specifically to immigrants. |
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| A full page insert in Spanish and English. |
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| Short quotes that can be reproduced inside your bulletin. |
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| A visual aid in understanding what can constitute domestic violence. |
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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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| Verizon's program for collecting no-longer used cell phones and accessories and making them available to DV programs. They also provided this infogrpahic on chronic medical conditions and domestic violence. |
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Evangelization and Catechetics / Youth Ministry
Spanish Language Resources & Ministry
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