Charity and Mercy Grants are given to parishes located in the Diocese of Jefferson City directly serving vulnerable people in need, regardless of their faith affiliation.

The grant is designed to expand the capacity of a parish ministry to serve more people or to help develop a new social ministry. It can be used to help start up a new ministry or to purchase items needed for the ministry. This flexibility in use would empower your parish to use your charity and mercy grant for anything from funding the rent for a new ministry space to purchasing a new dishwasher for your existing soup kitchen.

The grant recognizes parishes in the Diocese of Jefferson City providing “charitable service” as defined by Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (God Is Love). He listed three specific qualities of a Church-related charitable service which the parish social ministry must exemplify:

1. It responds to immediate needs and specific situations with more than “technical care”, but with genuine love and heartfelt concern that enables others to experience the richness and totality of their humanity, made in the image and likeness of God. (DCE #31)
2. It is independent of parties or ideologies but sees with the heart where love is needed and acts accordingly, utilizing planning, foresight, and cooperation with other like-minded institutions. (DCE#31)
3. It is love given freely. It is not proselytism. The Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak. (DCE #31)