Works Of Mercy

In responding to the needs of our community, Catholic social services and the Catholic community  join in the work of carrying out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, including the two added by Pope Francis in 2016 concerning the care of creation.

 Corporal works of mercy:
To feed the hungry He whāngai i te hunga hiakai
To give drink to the thirsty He hoatu inu ki te hunga hiainu
To clothe the naked He whakakākahu i te hunga kore kākahu
To shelter the homeless He atawhai i te hunga kore kāinga
To visit the sick He tirotiro i te hunga tūroro
To visit the imprisoned He tirotiro i te hunga mauhere
To bury the dead He nehu i te hunga mate
To care for our common home  
 Spiritual works of mercy
To instruct the ignorant He ako i te hunga kuare
To counsel the doubtful He tohutohu i te hunga āwangawanga
To admonish sinners He whakatika i te hunga hē
To bear wrongs patiently He manawanui ki ngā mahi hē ki ā koe
To forgive offences willingly He tuku noa i ngā mahi hē ki ā koe
To comfort the afflicted He whakamārie i te hunga e pākia ana i te raruraru
To pray for the living and the dead He īnoi mō te hunga ora me te hunga mate
To gratefully contemplate God's world  

 

 

 
 

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"It is my burning desire that…the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty"

Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus

 

 

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"We all recognise the times we have experienced mercy and, in the depths of our hearts, we all truly desire to be more merciful to others."

New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, 2015

 

 
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