Works of Mercy Booklet

DSC00394For last night’s session, we had the kids assemble Works of Mercy mini-booklets as you see pictured here. Depending on the time available, you can either have the kids assemble the pages of their booklets or you can do this ahead of time. Given the short time that I have for the mini-sessions, I chose to assemble the (blank) pages of the booklets at home. I made 60 of them in about a half-hour while listening to CDs at home!

  • each booklet is made using a half sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper. (click on each photo to enlarge)

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  • with the half-sheet in landscape position, fold it in half (horizontally) and cut it along the fold.

 

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  • with both sheets in landscape position, one atop the other, fold again (horizontally) and cut along the fold.

 

  

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  •  you now have 4 sheets, approximately 2.5 x 4.
  • Lay the on top of one another in the landscape position and fold in half to create the booklet.

 

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  •  Add a staple to the crease to hold in place.
  • Each booklet has 16 pages, including the front and back covers

 

 Next, provide the kids with each of the following handouts:

Corporal Works of Mercy Handout

Spiritual Works of Mercy Handout

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  • Have them cut out the squares for the Corporal Works of Mercy.
  • Paste the title, “Corporal Works of Mercy” on the cover.

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  • Paste the passage from Matthew 25:35-36 on the inside front cover.
  • Paste each Corporal Work of Mercy on its own page

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  • Flip the booklet over so that the back cover now becomes the “front” cover
  • Paste the title “Spiritual Works of Mercy” on the cover

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  • Paste each Spiritual Work of Mercy on its own page
  • The middle of the booklet will have a Spiritual Work of Mercy upright on the left and a Corporal Work of Mercy upside-down on the right.

The important thing to do is to talk about each work of mercy as they are pasting it in their booklets, providing and asking for real-life examples of how they can practice these works of mercy in daily living.

About Joe Paprocki 2758 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

16 Comments on Works of Mercy Booklet

    • Katie, everything you need to make the booklets is in the post above…you should find links to the Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy handouts that the kids use to assemble the booklets. Just follow the step by step directions. Let me know if you still need some help.

  1. Wow!! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome idea. I am teaching a Little Flower’s Club group this summer and this is a great activity to be paired with the virtue of generosity. Thank you and God Bless!

  2. Thank you so much for sharing this great resource!! I made them today for my 4th grade class and will give to them at class tonight. I thought it would get too crazy to have them make and try to discuss at the same time, so this way we can just discuss. It’s something they can keep in their desk if we don’t get through it all in one night. Thanks again and God Bless you!

  3. I love this project, but am slightly confused. Aren’t there 7 Corporal Works of Mercy and 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy? I only see 6 of each on the download.

    • Corporal Works are missing “Visit the Imprisoned.” There are 7 Spiritual Works in the handout. I had students add “and the imprisoned” on the “Visit the Sick page.”

    • Hi Laura. There are 7 Spiritual Works in this activity and we had incorporated “and the imprisoned” to “Visit the sick” but neglected to mention that. Sorry!

  4. Thank you for the lovely booklet. Definitely going to use it.
    I would however like to get an idea of incorporating these ‘Works’ in Assembly’s . I’m at a Catholic School and I just thought you might have ideas.
    I would like to split the ‘Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy into 7 Assemblies.

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