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Works of Mercy |
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Mercy is one of the fruits of charity and therefore proceeds from love of God and neighbor. Traditionally, the works of mercy have been divided into two categories, the spiritual and the corporal. Seven acts of charity have been identified in each category. The spiritual works of mercy are to: convert sinners, instruct the ignorant, counsel the wayward, comfort the sorrowing, bear adversity patiently, forgive offenses, and pray for the living and the dead. The corporal works lead us to: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, tend the sick, visit prisoners, and bury the dead. In Catholic social doctrine, justice, too, is one of the fruits of charity, and the works of mercy provide a guide to what constitutes justice to our neighbor. Private charitable action by individuals, groups, and the Church in particular, have distinguished Christian societies from other forms throughout history. In keeping with the principle of subsidiarity, these private individuals and groups have the primary responsibility to meet the needs of the neighbor who cannot meet them himself. Subsidiarity also specifies, however, that if smaller entities are unable to carry out this work, governments, from local to international scale, may have to undertake these responsibilities as a last resort.
Charity toward
others in this sense is thus not “charity” in the modern meaning, but a
form of justice. After a period of rapid growth in the welfare state,
developed societies are currently reexamining how much of the works of
mercy should be handled by government and how much by private
association. At an international level, the responsibility of the
developed to the underdeveloped nations remains a complex and urgent
question. See: Commutative Justice; Health Care; Ministry; Preferential Option for the Poor; Social Doctrine; Socialization; Social Justice; Subsidiarity; Universal Destination of Goods.
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