Learn what the seven Corporal Works of Mercy are and how to practice them with the whole family.
The Corporal Works of Mercy are seven ways we can love and serve those around us. The first six Works come from the teachings of Jesus recorded in Matthew:
“For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.”
Matthew 25:42-43
The seventh Corporal Work of Mercy comes from the book of Tobit:
I would give my bread to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw any one of my people dead and thrown out behind the wall of Nin′eveh, I would bury him.
Tobit 1:17
As Catholics we believe it is important to attend not only to the spiritual needs of those around us, but also to the bodily needs. When we were new to being parents, my husband and I often lamented that we didn’t have enough time to serve people. Our tiny baby took up all of our time and energy, and then some!
Over the years we’ve welcomed three more babies into our family. As our family size has grown, so has my understanding of the Corporal Works of Mercy. In living out my vocation as wife and mother I am daily living the Corporal Works of Mercy.
Works of Mercy Checklists
The seven Corporal Works of Mercy are listed below. After each work there are suggestions about how to live them out for both parents and children. I’ve formatted all these suggestions as well as those from my Spiritual Works of Mercy post into convenient checklists. There are separate lists for parents and kids. To download the checklists, enter your email below and they will be delivered to your inbox.
More Corporal Works of Mercy Resources
We can teach our children about the Corporal Works of Mercy organically by practicing them ourselves. Below I’ve gathered up some suggestions on how to practice each of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. Ideas on this post were inspired by my own lived experience, family, friends, Kim at Intentional Catholic Parenting and Katie at Look to Him and be Radiant.
Feed the Hungry
For Parents
- Make meals for the family
- Go grocery shopping
- Grow produce in the garden
- Teach the children how to cook
For Children
- Eat what is served
- Help a little sibling eat
- Share food with a friend
- Feed your pets without being asked
Give Drink to the Thirsty
For Parents
- Ensure the family has fresh, clean water
- Nurse or give a bottle to the baby
- Pack water for outings
For Children
- Make a pitcher of lemonade for siblings
- Keep your pets’ water dish filled
- Water the garden and plants
Clothe the Naked
For Parents
- Do laundry for the family
- Clean out closets and donate the clothes
- Give clothes the kids have outgrown away
- Help sort clothing at a pregnancy resource center
For Children
- Help dress younger siblings
- Help younger siblings find their shoes
- Offer to wash a load of laundry
- Fold and put away the family’s clean laundry
Shelter the Homeless
For Parents
- Provide a home for your family
- Invite a family over for fellowship
- Help a neighbor with home repairs
- Take in a needy relative
For Children
- Invite a friend over
- Invite a sibling to play in your bedroom
- Keep your space tidy and welcoming
Comfort the Sick
For Parents
- Take care of sick children
- Bring the children to visit a nursing home
- Spend time with elderly or sick relatives
- Bring someone who is sick a homemade meal
For Children
- Make cards and deliver them to a nursing home
- Bring a sick sibling their favorite stuffed animal
- Offer to read them
- a story
- Get tissues for a sibling with a cold
Visit the Prisoner
For Parents
- Offer to babysit for a mother of all young children
- Visit an imprisoned friend or family member
- Write a letter or call an imprisoned friend or family member
For Children
- Help get a little sibling un-stuck
- Play with a baby
- Offer to get a little sibling up from a nap
- Visit a someone who is homebound
Bury the Dead
For Parents
- Attend funerals and visitations
- Pray at the grave of deceased loved ones
- Help clean out the home of the deceased
- Spend time with widows and widowers
For Children
- Make and send a card to the family of someone who has died
- Listen to stories about the dead
- Learn about your ancestors and ask them to pray for you
How does your family practice the Corporal Works of Mercy?
Now it’s your turn to tell me about your family. What are the ways you practice the Corporal Works of Mercy together? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
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