The corporal and spiritual works of mercy give Catholics practical ways to live the Gospel: feed the hungry, visit the imprisoned, comfort those who mourn, care for the sick, pray for others, and offer hope to those who are struggling. 

For George Gummer, these works of mercy are more than familiar teachings of the Catholic Church. They are a responsibility. 

“I’m a person in my 80s and I’m unable to get around very well,” George explains. “Yet I recognize my responsibility to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy; and as I looked at Glenmary, you performed a number of those.” 

George and his wife, Paula, have seen those works of mercy reflected in Glenmary’s ministry. Across rural America, missioners respond to the needs of the people and communities they serve — often in simple ways that make a lasting difference. 

Mercy in action 

One of the most basic works of mercy is feeding those who are hungry. 

In Tennessee, Glenmary missioners and their parish communities put that work into action through food pantries and mobile food distribution. Fresh Wagon, a mobile food pantry serving families in Union County, provides fresh food to people who might otherwise struggle to access it. 

But the ministry offers more than food. Regular visits create opportunities to build relationships with the people being served. A simple act of providing a meal can become an opportunity to listen, encourage and share Christ’s love. 

That same spirit extends to people whose needs may be less visible. Glenmary missioners serve in rural counties throughout Appalachia and the South where the Catholic presence is often small. Ministry may mean visiting someone in jail, spending time with a nursing-home resident, praying with someone who is sick, or simply listening to someone who needs to be heard. 

Glenmary novices experience this firsthand during their service in mission counties. Their days included jail outreach, Bible study, Eucharistic service, and visits to nursing homes. Their experience of faith, service and presence offers a glimpse of how missioners accompany people in both ordinary and difficult moments. 

Caring for body and spirit 

The corporal and spiritual works of mercy are deeply connected. 

Someone who is hungry may also need companionship. Someone who is sick may need both physical care and prayer. A person who is grieving may need someone willing simply to sit beside them. And someone searching for meaning may need both a listening ear and the opportunity to encounter Christ. 

This is at the heart of Glenmary’s mission: serving the spiritual and material needs of people in rural communities where the Catholic Church is not fully present. Glenmary serves the Catholic minority, the unchurched and the poor—bringing a Church presence to places where it is needed most. 

In these communities, the works of mercy become part of everyday missionary life. Missioners celebrate the sacraments, share the Gospel, reach out to those who are unchurched and serve people who are poor or vulnerable. Through these encounters, they help make Christ’s love visible in practical and deeply personal ways. 

A life of mercy 

For George and Paula, faith and prayer have been part of their life together for six decades. They pray together, attend a rosary group, and remember Glenmary in their daily prayers. George especially prays for an increase in vocations, knowing how much the Gospel is needed in the places Glenmary serves. 

Their connection to Glenmary began when a missioner visited their parish. Over the years, newsletters, the Glenmary Challenge magazine, phone calls and letters from missioners have kept them connected to the mission. 

Supporting Glenmary is one way of living out their responsibility to the works of mercy. Their story reminds us that mercy is not simply something we are called to believe. It is something we are called to live. 

And through Glenmary missioners, those works continue each day — offering food to the hungry, companionship to the lonely, comfort to those who mourn and the hope of Christ to people throughout rural America. 

To see the communities where this work takes place, explore Glenmary’s mission map and current mission areas.