Description
MISERICORDIA // Blessed Conversations is a collected study book for you or your group.
Misericordia contains four different studies on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and modern lay holy women, split among four authors.
Each study on the Works of Mercy has three sessions or chapters inside it. They’re designed so that each session would be one meeting of your group. This collected study book has twelve sessions total.
What’s Misericordia all about?
The study opens up how to live the Works of Mercy through the examples of modern lay holy women of God from nearly every continent and walk of life.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are: to instruct the ignorant; to counsel the doubtful; to admonish the sinner; to bear wrongs patiently & to forgive offenses; to comfort the afflicted; and to pray for the living and the dead.
The Corporal Works of Mercy are: to feed the hungry & to give water to the thirsty; to clothe the naked; to shelter the homeless; to visit the sick; to visit the imprisoned; and to bury the dead.
The holy women of God are: Servant of God Julia Greeley, Venerable Satoko Kitahara, Servant of God Dorothy Day, Venerable Edel Quinn, Saint Maria Goretti, Servant of God Maria de la Luz, Saint Lucy Yi Zhenmei, Saint Zélie Martin, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Saint Anna Schaeffer, Blessed Victoria Rasoamanarivo, and Blessed Natalia Tulasiewicz.
What does a single session look like?
Let’s take Admonishing the Sinner, the Spiritual Work of Mercy. It would be comprised of:
+ an in-depth bio of the saint/venerable/servant of God;
+ a 200-300 word reflection by the author;
+ Scripture from Old & New Testament woven throughout;
+ questions for reflection; and
+ questions for discussion.
What’s in a reflection?
We look at living out the Works of Mercy in our families, work places, ministries, and communities. Real women sharing real stories about their lives and experiences to inspire us!
Who’s it for?
You, two girlfriends, or two hundred ladies ages 18+! The format is perfect for community groups of any size. You can read aloud a chapter together as a group, discuss the questions, read it ahead of time and journal about it, or ponder the Scripture verses using lectio divina.
Download the Misericordia Leader Guide we made just for you!
[gravityform id=”1379″ title=”false” description=”false”]How’s the theology in it?
Our Theological Editor, Susanna Spencer, MA Theology, checks every one of our written products. She references and cross-references and makes sure we are completely in line with Church teaching on the topic. These materials were submitted for the imprimatur but were deemed “reflections” and not “teachings.” We feel confident that they are rock-solid theologically.
Nihil Obstat from Rev. Father Eugene Mary of the Trinity, Erem. Dio., S.T.L
Imprimatur from The Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix
This 7×10 lay flat perfect binding book has laminated front and back covers and is printed and packaged in the USA.
See more of our Blessed Conversations here.
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Authors
KENDRA TIERNEY is a wife and a mother of nine children from newborn to teenager. She’s a homeschooler and a regular schooler, and an enthusiastic amateur experimenter in the domestic arts. She is the author of A Little Book about Confession for Children, the Traditional Catholic Prayers for Awesome Catholic Kids series of prayer books, and the Catholic All Year Compendium: Liturgical Living for Real Life. She is a writer for Blessed is She.
KAREN SCHULTZ is a Minnesota native who spent nearly a decade exploring the mid-Atlantic states before putting down roots in her home state. She manages the day-to-day operations of a Twin Cities birth center while also serving as a Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness practitioner for single women and couples. She is a writer for Blessed is She.
DEBRA HERBECK is a Hebrew Catholic who met the Messiah many years ago while a student at the University of Michigan. She is an author and speaker, and for the past 35 years she has evangelized and discipled young women through camps, mission trips, retreats, bible studies, and small groups. Debra is the founder and director of Pine Hills Girls’ Camp and Be Love Revolution, two ministries seeking to help young women know the transformative love of Christ and to live freely as daughters of God. She and her husband Peter live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, are members of Christ the King Parish, and have four young adult children and five adorable grandchildren. She is a writer for Blessed is She.
ELISE HOWE is a wife, mother, vocal artist, teacher, and writer. A lover of authentic beauty, Elise is most joyful when creating with the inspiration of the Divine Artist. She and her husband live in Michigan with their son and daughter. She is a writer for Blessed is She.
Editors
NELL O’LEARY is the Managing Editor for Blessed is She. She wrote the intro & conclusion, curated the biographies and writers, and managed the project. Her background includes Managing Editor of Law Review in law school, Co-Editor of a student journal and Assistant Editor of a literary journal in undergrad, and many other editing, writing, and speaking projects.
SUSANNA SPENCER is the Theological Editor for Blessed is She. She holds a Masters in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is a regular contributor for many Catholic journals and publications.
BETH DAVIS is the Director of Ministry Advancement for Blessed is She. She drafted the reflection and discussion questions.
Amy –
As a group of about 4-6 of us we shared Misericordia. We were happy each week to feel surprised by how deep we were able to go with each chapter. We were also thankful that there was not an expectation to “literally” perform every single work of mercy, but were given practical ideas on how to live the works of mercy broadly and according to our reality and our gifts.
Caroline –
I think acts of mercy are tangible things to study at every level, and I have seen countless graces each week with my awesome women. Praise be to God!
Emma –
I love how God answers prayers! I had been inspired to learn more about the works of mercy for about a month and was searching for ways to dive deeper. When Misericordia was suggested to me, I knew the Holy Spirit was at work. It was a great, great blessing!
Mia –
I just finished leading this study with a group of women (about 10) at my church. As the leader, I loved how the discussion questions are right there! This study was so easy to use, and all of the women really enjoyed it. Each chapter is the perfect length–absolutely doable for busy working women, grad students, and mothers! We are excited to start the Mystery study next. Thanks, BIS!
Anne Marie –
Our group is loving this study. It is so simply laid out and yet each week we find ourselves going deeper in our pondering and weekly discussions. Even though it is simple, there is a lot to think about and reflect on where God is calling each of us.
Joan –
We plan to use this for our women’s group as the men go through Exodus 90 this year. 12 sessions are a perfect match and the topics are so relevant. We loved reviewing the decades of the rosary last year and can’t wait to dive into this program. The book provides great insight, good discussion questions, and a helpful area in which to journal our personal responses.
jenna Guizar –
We will be praying for you! Excited for you to use it!!