Works of Mercy

Jesus' Call to Mercy

In the Diary of St. Faustina Jesus explains the following on the deeds of Mercy...

"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:
the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer.

In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy" (Diary of St. Faustina 1317).

Jesus has asked us to perform works of mercy in accordance with our faith and I have featured below just some of those apostolates in various parts of the world that perform the Corporal works of Mercy in their own Parish or are reaching out to those in need across the globe in the name of Jesus the Divine Mercy. 

Divine Mercy Parish in Trenton, New Jersey in the United States partnered with TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen) in 2007 to provide meals to the less fortunate in the parish’s surrounding community. Finding a greater need among those being served, their parishioners, the late Charles Cook, Jr., Ann Brodowski and Michael Knowles wanted to begin a ministry to serve those individuals and others. Out of this idea, Mercy House was founded on January 5, 2008.

Mercy House provides food, clothing and household items, as well as basic medical needs services, to families and individuals of the parish and its surrounding community. Through these services they act to fulfill Christ’s mission of caring for the poor and others in need as they seek to reveal God’s mercy to all who come there. Mercy House also works with other community and social concerns organizations to provide access to social services, immigration support and any other needs that may be encountered among the individuals we serve. A reading library and tutoring service are offered for school children who are welcome to come and spend a little quiet time, pick out a book to take home, or have one of their youth volunteers read to them. Help with school homework is offered. They believe that Mercy House is a visible sign of Christ’s teachings. In the spirit of their Franciscan heritage, they preach the word of God and, only if necessary, use words.

http://www.divinemercyoftrenton.org/products/mercyhouse.htm

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The Children's Charity H.U.D.T. (Divine Mercy in Action), based in Skerries, Co. Dublin, Ireland was founded by Val Conlon inspired by Jesus' revelations to Saint Faustina, where Jesus said "I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for me. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it."(Diary 742)

Their Mission is to help the destitute, the homeless, especially the abandoned and suffering children but most importantly filling the spiritual void left behind after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe with the message of God's Divine Mercy.  Their work also includes projects in South America and Africa. 

 For more information on all these works you can check out the following site..www.hudt.org/

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The Missionaries of Our Lady of Divine Mercy was founded in 2005 in Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Bristow, Virginia.  . What began as a small prayer group has grown into a movement of mercy. Their first meeting took place in the basement of a house belonging to one of the prayer group members. They prayed the Rosary, read Sacred Scripture and read from the Diary of Saint Faustina.

Each week members would meet, pray and offer prayers for the sick and dying. As the ministry grew, so did their zeal to perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy. By February 2006, they were taking food into Washington, D.C. to feed the homeless in the parks.

This ministry became known as Feeding with Mercy because they believed that the people they were serving should not only receive food and drink, but compassion as well. They found that the more they entered into with these people, the more they saw Christ in each homeless person.

Within a few months, they began bringing hot food, toiletry items and clothing to expand their services to the poor. Washing the feet of each homeless person was a natural progression in what they saw as loving their neighbor. With wet wipes, lotion, gloves and stools, their volunteers sat on the ground while the homeless removed their shoes to have their feet washed. Many of the homeless wept as they tended their wounds and spoke words of compassion. Volunteers shared stories of inspiration and hope with each person that sat down hoping that when they left the park that day they would know that God loved them.  The works of mercy expanded and more information can be found on their website..http://www.divinemercynow.org/

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Divine Mercy reaching the oilfields in Kazakhstan

Kulsary is situated around 100 km from Tengiz – the biggest in Kazakhstan and one of the biggest oilfields in the world. There was a need to reach out there with a pastoral ministry to the local Catholics. It was not easy even though many catholics work there: Americans, Filipinos, the Irish, Poles, catholics from Kazakhstan.  A Church was needed here to serve the local Catholic Community and hence in 2007 the Divine Mercy Parish was born.

The chapel that came into being after demolishing division walls in the former shop and liquidating the second floor is 56 sq. m. Together with a gallery about 70 sq. m. and it can house 70 - 80 people. They managed to bring a marble altar, a pulpit and a baptismal font (baptistery) made in Poland in Mr. Krzysztof Czarnota’s mason workshop. Divine Mercy Image painted by Dorota Piwowarczyk was endowed by Fr. Jerzy Karpiński SJ, the former provincial of the Jesuits Russian province, who is at present a confessor in the Divine Mercy sanctuary in Lagiewniki in Cracow.

Information above taken from this article  http://www.catholic-kazakhstan.org/kulsary/en/kulsaryEN.htm

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Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society

Mary's House - a shelter for pregnant women in crisis

In Northern California, the Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society is one such community of devotees with the mission:  To establish a center for prayer and ministry dedicated to the Mercy of God, to spread the devotion to the Divine Mercy throughout the world, and to reach out in mercy to those in need. In 1998, under the name Divine Mercy Foundation, they formed a Board of 15 members, who lead their organization and make decisions. Soon thereafter, the Foundation was legally organized as a nonprofit organization. In 2005 the name of the apostolate was legally changed to Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society   One of their corporal works of Mercy is Mary's House. 

 

Located in San Pablo, California, 19 miles from San Francisco, Mary's House is a shelter for pregnant women 18 and over who have nowhere else to turn. A ministry of the Divine Mercy Eucharistic Society, Mary's House serves women without regard to religious affiliation. The home is supported by donations and by the proceeds of the volunteer-run thrift shop, the Treasure Chest.

Aside from providing a halfway house so the women need not choose abortion, Mary's House helps its residents progress toward the goal of independent living. Job training, resume writing, interviewing, and job search techniques are emphasized and facilitated. During her pregnancy, a Mary's House resident receives room and board while working or continuing her education. After her baby is born, she may continue to live at Mary's House for up to six months while furthering her education or securing employment.

http://www.divinemercywestcoast.org/

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The FRIENDS Divine Mercy Apostolate in the Philippines was founded in May 2007 to establish framework for the renewed Community Mission/Vision to reach out to more people by propagating the Divine Mercy of Jesus.   The Apostolate covers two important functions: Propagation of the Devotion of the Divine Mercy and Works of Mercy (Outreach Arm).

Their mission is to share the DIVINE MERCY of JESUS through propagation and works of mercy. Their works include the following: -

SoupERFriends – It is a weekly community-based soup kitchen programme providing free warm and nutritious light meals (chicken arroz caldo or noodle soup) to benefit street children and their families.
 

Manila City Jail Ministry - The Community holds Catholic Life in the Spirit Seminars (CLSS) in the female compound of the Manila City Jail twice a year. The spiritual growth of the inmates are sustained by regular prayer meetings every Friday.
 

Medical and Dental Missions – Free basic health services and medicines are given to the poorest of communities through the semi-annual Medical and Dental Missions.
For more information : http://www.fdmaphil.org/works-of-mercy.html

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St. Luke's Mission Of Mercy is a Roman Catholic Mission in the inner city of Buffalo, New York. This community, consisting of Amy Betros and Norm Paolini, Co-Founders and Co-Directors, and 15 full time lay missionaries, strive to live the Gospel message of God's great love and mercy for all His children through service to His poor and broken. This service is carried out through living the Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy. The community strives to proclaim, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, the goodness and greatness of God and His great love and mercy for all people in everything they think, say and do.

Contact: http://www.stlukesmissionofmercy.org/

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DIVINE MERCY APOSTOLATE  DUBLIN   (IRELAND)

In Dublin, here in Ireland, a Divine Mercy prayer meeting takes place in St. Saviours Church in Dominic Street at 7.30pm on Tuesday evenings with Holy Mass and a Divine Mercy Holy Hour which follows directly from 8pm - 9pm.

Also at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Dominic Street a prayer meeting takes place Monday to Saturday from
2.30pm - 3.15pm.  Prayers are said there for many intentions and the relic of St. Faustina is available. 

On Thursdays Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place from 2.15 pm - 4pm.  All are welcome.
Attached to the Shrine inside the Church, you can call in to the shop where you can find various Divine Mercy products and other religious material.  This is open from 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday. 

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Also in Dublin on St. Itas Hospital Radio 89.5FM (Dublin, Ireland), a Divine Mercy half hour from 9am to 9.30am is broadcast each Sunday.  Tune in and enjoy.





Perhaps some of these ministries may inspire you to do something similar in your own Parish community...