Mercy in the City

Does giving half of your sandwich to a homeless person count as “feeding the hungry”? Does buying an occasional coffee for a coworker count as “giving drink to the thirsty”? Kerry Weber—a young, single, busy New Yorker—had done these things, but she knew she could do more. Weber decided to commit forty days to practicing the seven Corporal Works of Mercy in a meaningful way. But a big question remained: Could she do it?

Mercy in the City is Weber’s frequently humorous but always authentic story of exploring the challenges and rewards that accompany a lay Catholic trying to practice the Works of Mercy in a 24/7 city of eight million people. From handing our sandwiches to riding the subway, to nearly being locked out of the Easter Vigil, Weber embraces each experience as an opportunity to better understand what mercy is really all about and to grow in her love of God and others.

For anyone who, like Weber, longs to live a more merciful life amid the pressures and responsibilities of the “real world,” Mercy in the City offers this inspiration: You can do it—wherever God has placed you!

Kerry Weber is a Mercy Associate and managing editor of America magazine. She is an alumna of the Mercy Volunteer Corps and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in New York City.

Extras for Your Parish

• Downloadable discussion guide
• Facilitator guide
• Advertising flyer: color
• Advertising flyer: black & white
• Bulletin announcements
• End-of-Mass announcements