Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne: Church in Melbourne, Australia > Catholic Faith > Church Teaching

The Works of Mercy

CCC 2447 The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.²⁴² Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.²⁴³ Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God:²⁴⁴

He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none and he who has food must do likewise.²⁴⁵ But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.²⁴⁶ If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?²⁴⁷

The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy

To convert the sinner
To instruct the ignorant
To counsel the doubtful
To comfort the sorrowful
To bear wrongs patiently
To forgive injuries
To pray for the living and the dead

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy

To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty
To clothe the naked
To give welcome to strangers
To visit the sick
To visit the imprisoned
To bury the dead

242 Cf. Isa 58:6-7; Heb 13:3.
243 Cf. Mt 25:31-46.
244 Cf. Tob 4:5-11; Sir 17:22; Mt 6:2-4.
245 Lk 3:11.
246 Lk 11:41.
247 Jas 2:15-16; cf. 1 Jn 3:17.

Church Teachings

The Ten Commandments

The Summary of the Law

The Precepts of the Church

The Virtues

The Beatitudes

The Apostles & Evangelists

The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The Works of Mercy

General Instruction of the Roman Missal in Australia