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Happening ... in the Local Church
 Praying
the Way of the Cross in a spiritual work of mercy — to “comfort the
sorrowful” (Photo provided) |
By Lisa Wilson-Cotillier
The Catholic Moment
KOKOMO — To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the construction of St. Patrick Church here, parishioners recently performed 100 spiritual and corporal works of mercy throughout Howard County.
“We hear a lot about the works of mercy, but not many of us put them into action,” said Erynn Mula, parishioner and mother of three. “This project is a way for us as a family to put our faith into action, and for us to really come together as a parish, to celebrate 100 years.”
The parishwide project included a food drive for the St. Vincent de Paul Society; a coat, hat and glove drive; collections for Right to Life of Howard County; Eucharistic adoration and a Memorial Mass. Parishioners also gave up small indulgences like Starbucks coffee and soda, donating the money they would normally spend on those to maintain drinking water wells in Haiti.
Mula participated in the 100 works project with her children by praying the rosary and donating to the food drive.
“I signed up with my children because I wanted to show them the importance of the works of mercy,” she said.
Parishioners worked together and individually to complete projects linked to each spiritual and corporal work of mercy, said Kelli Conlon, family life director at St. Patrick.
“The parishioners have been phenomenal,” she said. “It has been amazing to see so many people come together to pray and to serve others.”
Specially made banners were tied with ribbons to represent each completed work of mercy as an outward sign of parish participation. Parishioner Pat Linder helped to create one of 14 banners, each representing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
“I think this project really helped to bring our parish closer together,” she said. “Our outward goal was that we complete 100 works of mercy for the month, but truly our vision is that we all continue — that these works of mercy become part of our prayer life and part of our spiritual journey.”
The spiritual works of mercy are: admonish the sinners; instruct the ignorant; counsel the doubtful; comfort the sorrowful; bear wrongs patiently; forgive all injuries; pray for the living, and pray for the dead.
Parishioners found inventive ways to participate in each work. For example, to counsel the doubtful the parish bought 115 CDs on various topics and gave them away at a parish festival.
“It wasn’t elaborate,” said parishioner Eric Green, who coordinated the project, “but we gave out the CDs for people to use themselves or to give to others who could use them. Each CD focused on a different topic, such as healing and holiness, marriage, the Mass and confession.”
The corporal works of mercy include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned and burying the dead.
The project helped “to foster connectedness,” said parishioner Molly White.
“I sometimes feel disconnected because my work hours do not allow me to participate in many things,” she said. “I was able to participate in several of the works, even with my schedule.”
She added, “One thing I really appreciate is how it has encouraged me to renew my commitment to the rosary … and to pray for both the living and the dead.”
The works of mercy follow the directives given by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: “Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me … Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.”
“The project had a profound effect on the parish,” said Father Andrew Dudzinski. “It gave everyone in the parish a chance to participate, regardless of their state of life. It was wonderful to witness parishioners from the very young to the very old proclaiming the Gospel through the works of mercy.”