THE CHURCH OF MERCYTHE CHURCH OF MERCY

––2 Cor. 8:92 Cor. 8:9

““The Lord Jesus Christ, The Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, though he was rich, yet for your sake he became yet for your sake he became poor, poor, so that by his poverty so that by his poverty you might become rich.” you might become rich.”

––Pope FrancisPope Francis

““confront the confront the poverty of our poverty of our

brothers and sisters, brothers and sisters, touch it, make it our touch it, make it our

own own and take practical and take practical

steps to alleviate it” steps to alleviate it”

Solidarity with the PoorSolidarity with the Poor

MATERIAL DESTITUTIONMATERIAL DESTITUTION

• immediate immediate response to response to persons in needpersons in need

• advocacy advocacy against against violations of violations of discrimination discrimination and abuseand abuse

MORAL POVERTYMORAL POVERTY

• presence of presence of supportsupport

• agents of agents of opportunities opportunities and hopeand hope

SPIRITUAL DESOLATIONSPIRITUAL DESOLATION

• forgiveness of forgiveness of offencesoffences

• understanding understanding and guidance for and guidance for those in darkness those in darkness and helplessnessand helplessness

THE CHURCH IS …THE CHURCH IS …

the place of God’s mercy and love, the place of God’s mercy and love, … where everyone can feel themselves … where everyone can feel themselves welcomed, loved, forgiven welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live and encouraged to live according to the good life of the Gospelaccording to the good life of the Gospel

THE CHURCH IS …THE CHURCH IS …

the house of the Father, with the house of the Father, with doors always wide open. doors always wide open.

… … where there is place for where there is place for everyone with all their everyone with all their problems. problems.

We must reach out to We must reach out to everyone without exception, everyone without exception, … but first: the poor, the sick, … but first: the poor, the sick, the despised and the the despised and the overlooked.overlooked.

WHICH KIND OF CHURCH WHICH KIND OF CHURCH DO WE BELONG TO?DO WE BELONG TO?

INSTITUTIONAL WORKS OF CHARITYINSTITUTIONAL WORKS OF CHARITY

The mission of the Church The mission of the Church is mercyis mercy

––Joy of the Gospel, 3Joy of the Gospel, 3

““God never tires God never tires of forgiving us; of forgiving us; we are the ones we are the ones

who tire of who tire of seeking his seeking his

mercy.”mercy.”

––Joy of the Gospel, 53Joy of the Gospel, 53

““How can it be that it is How can it be that it is not a news item when not a news item when an elderly homeless an elderly homeless

person dies of person dies of exposure, exposure,

but it is news when the but it is news when the stock market loses two stock market loses two

points?”points?”

––John 17,11John 17,11

““Father, Father, protect them in protect them in your name that you your name that you have given me, have given me, so that they may be so that they may be one one as we are one.” as we are one.”

––John 17,14John 17,14

““I have given them your I have given them your word word and the world has hated and the world has hated them because they do not them because they do not belong to the world. … belong to the world. …

I am not asking you to I am not asking you to take them out of the take them out of the world, world, but I ask you to protect but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” them from the evil one.”

––John 17,17John 17,17

““Sanctify them in the Sanctify them in the truth, truth, your word is truth. your word is truth.

As you have sent me As you have sent me into the world, so I into the world, so I have sent them into have sent them into the world.” the world.”

FOR GROUP SHARING AND FOR GROUP SHARING AND REFLECTION:REFLECTION:

What changes must there be in What changes must there be in the Church for it to be a Church the Church for it to be a Church of mercy and compassion?of mercy and compassion?

What can you as a Catholic do to What can you as a Catholic do to make that happen?make that happen?

Sharing with you resources from the TALKS during the Saint Martha Lenten

Retreat 2014.

Please offer a prayer for all our priests. PRAY the rosary for the intentions of

our Pope and for world peace.

Thank you and God bless us all.