Living the Corporal Works of Mercy This Lent

The Corporal Works of Mercy are among the most concrete and tangible expressions of Christian love. Rooted in Christ's own teaching in Matthew 25:35-40 — "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink" — these seven acts call us to see the face of Christ in our neighbor and respond with compassion.

During Lent, as we intensify our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, the Corporal Works of Mercy offer a powerful framework for service. They are not reserved for saints or full-time missionaries. They are for every parishioner, every day, in the ordinary circumstances of parish life.

Here is how your parish community can live each Work of Mercy this Lent.

1. Feed the Hungry

"For I was hungry and you gave me food." (Mt 25:35)

Hunger is not just a distant problem. In many parishes, families are quietly struggling with food insecurity — a parent who lost a job, a senior living on a fixed income, a single mother stretching every dollar.

Practical Parish Actions

• Organize a meal train for families going through a difficult season (illness, bereavement, new baby, job loss)
• Start or support a parish food pantry stocked through regular parishioner donations
• Coordinate weekend meal packs for children who rely on school lunch programs
• Host a community supper during Lent — a simple meal after a weekday Mass or Stations of the Cross

How to Coordinate

Meal trains can be complex to organize — who cooks, when, dietary restrictions, delivery logistics. Using a coordination tool helps. On NearPew, a family or coordinator can post a meal need, and volunteers can sign up directly, reducing the back-and-forth.

2. Give Drink to the Thirsty

"I was thirsty and you gave me drink." (Mt 25:35)

In modern parish life, this often translates to ensuring people have access to basic necessities — clean water, hygiene supplies, and the resources to live with dignity.

Practical Parish Actions

• Collect hygiene kits (toothbrush, soap, shampoo, deodorant) for local shelters
• Partner with Catholic Charities to support water and sanitation projects
• Provide coffee and fellowship after Mass — a small gesture that builds community and helps isolated parishioners feel welcomed

3. Clothe the Naked

"I was naked and you clothed me." (Mt 25:36)

Practical Parish Actions

• Host a Lenten clothing drive focused on seasonal needs (winter coats, professional attire for job seekers)
• Collect baby supplies (diapers, formula, clothing) for crisis pregnancy centers
• Partner with St. Vincent de Paul to identify parishioners in need of clothing assistance
• Organize a children's clothing swap for parish families

4. Shelter the Homeless

"I was a stranger and you welcomed me." (Mt 25:35)

Practical Parish Actions

• Support your diocesan housing programs through volunteer time or donations
• Advocate for affordable housing in your community
• Welcome new parishioners intentionally — homelessness is not just physical; it's spiritual too. Many people in our pews feel like strangers
• Coordinate temporary housing assistance for parishioners facing eviction or displacement, working through Catholic Charities or St. Vincent de Paul

5. Visit the Sick

"I was ill and you cared for me." (Mt 25:36)

This may be the Work of Mercy most readily practiced within a parish — and the one that is most often needed.

Practical Parish Actions

• Start or strengthen a homebound ministry that regularly visits parishioners who cannot attend Mass
• Coordinate transportation to medical appointments — this is one of the most requested forms of help in parish communities
• Organize prescription pickup for parishioners who have difficulty getting to the pharmacy
• Send cards and prayer intentions to those in hospitals or nursing homes

How to Coordinate

Transportation needs are frequent and specific — a ride to a doctor at 2pm on Tuesday, a weekly grocery run. Posting these needs on a community board (like NearPew's needs board) lets volunteers see exactly what's needed and respond when it fits their schedule.

6. Visit the Imprisoned

"I was in prison and you visited me." (Mt 25:36)

Practical Parish Actions

• Support prison ministry programs in your diocese
• Write letters to incarcerated individuals through Catholic prison ministry organizations
• Support families of the incarcerated — their children and spouses are often isolated and in need of parish community
• Advocate for restorative justice through Catholic social teaching channels

7. Bury the Dead

"Bury the dead." (Tobit 1:17)

Practical Parish Actions

• Serve on the parish bereavement committee — coordinate meals, logistics, and support for grieving families
• Organize bereavement meal trains for families after a funeral
• Offer companionship to those who are grieving, especially in the weeks and months after the funeral when attention fades
• Pray for the faithful departed — include them in your Lenten prayers

Putting It All Together

The Corporal Works of Mercy are not a checklist to complete during Lent. They are a way of life — a lens through which we see our neighbors and respond with love.

Here's a simple framework for your parish:

1. Identify which Works are most needed in your community right now
2. Assign each to an existing ministry or form small groups around each work
3. Create a way for people to ask for help — a bulletin announcement, a coordinator, or a digital needs board
4. Make it easy to volunteer — clear tasks, flexible scheduling, no guilt
5. Reflect together on what you've learned about your community

A Lenten Challenge

This Lent, consider choosing one Corporal Work of Mercy to focus on each week. Pray about it. Look for opportunities to practice it in your daily life and your parish community. And when you see a need you can meet, don't wait — act.

If your parish needs a simple way to coordinate service, NearPew is a free tool built specifically for Catholic parish communities. It helps parishioners post needs, offer help, and connect with each other — all within the trust and privacy of your parish family.

"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." — Matthew 25:40

---

References:

1. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Corporal Works of Mercy
2. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2447