Contact: Laraine Bennett, National Council of Catholic Women, 703-224-0990, lbennett@nccw.org  

ARLINGTON, Va., March 30, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Divine Mercy Sunday 2016 – April 3rd – the National Council of Catholic Women will launch a new initiative called "A Million Works of Mercy" in honor of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. "We are the hands and feet and voices of Jesus – in our homes, our parishes, our communities, our nation and beyond our borders through our partnerships with Catholic Relief Services and Cross Catholic Outreach," says NCCW President Sheila Hopkins.

Members of NCCW are responding to Pope Francis's call to reawaken our passion to help the poor and needy of our communities through corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

NCCW members will start counting works of mercy – with a goal of one million works before the end of the Jubilee year in November 2016 – as they perform both big and small works of mercy in their councils, parishes, local communities, and beyond. There is a form for members to start counting works of mercy on the NCCW website, www.nccw.org, and the count will be updated monthly.

"We are feeding the hungry and speaking out for adequate funding for school nutrition programs. We are collecting clothing for the needy and advocating for job training and a living wage. We are comforting those who have suffered loss and visiting the sick and broken. We are making lunches and swinging a hammer with Habitat for Humanity or local home improvement groups and contacting legislators with evidence of housing fraud or insurance redlining," says Jane Carter, NCCW Supporting Member who designed the initiative.

In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis says to each of us: "It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty."

For more information visit www.nccw.org. To schedule an interview with Sheila Hopkins, please contact lbennett@nccw.org or call (703) 224-0990.