Author Kerry Weber Talks 'Mercy in the City' at Georgian Court University

Kerry Weber, 32, Explores Challenges and Lessons Learned in Doing Merciful Works

(Lakewood, N.J.) November 4, 2014—Author Kerry Weber visits Georgian Court University Nov. 18 to discuss her experience incorporating Mercy into her daily life while still holding onto her day job at America magazine, the nation’s leading Catholic news magazine.

Weber was 29 when she decided to conduct an experiment by incorporating the seven Corporal Works of Mercy as part of her Lenten discipline. Her goals? To feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, to care for the sick, to visit the imprisoned and to bury the dead. From handing out sandwiches at early morning bread lines to sharing the gospel with prisoners, Weber walked the talk of Mercy.

• Hear Kerry Weber describe how her experiment began
  

“I plan to discuss some of the main challenges that I’ve faced while trying to commit more fully to the Corporal Works of Mercy, as well as some of the surprising and hopeful things I’ve learned in the process,” said Weber, who wrote Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job. “So many of these works had an impact on me and the way I view mercy far beyond what I could have imagined.”

Weber, who completed 13 years of Catholic school, also wrote Keeping the Faith: Prayers for College Students. At GCU she will share personal examples and stories of Mercy, and will connect her experiences to the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, the sponsoring order for Georgian Court University.

Students at the university have been reading Weber’s book, and seem to connect with it, according to GCU Director of Campus Ministry, Jeff Schaffer, who invited the author on behalf of Georgian Court’s Year of Hope Committee. “I thought Kerry’s story would connect with our young adult students as well as the broader community,” Schaffer said.

Weber believes the two core components of mercy are community and building relationships (which, by the way, is why she enjoys speaking and interacting with students and communities). And what she took from her ‘experiment’ offers lasting lessons for everyone.

“I hope to both speak to my experience in trying to serve others, but also to learn from the joys and challenges that others have faced while trying to live more merciful lives,” she said. After conducting the experiment, Weber learned to recognize Mercy in unexpected places, she explained, adding that performing mercy is more than just an action—it’s a mindset.

“Many people already are doing a lot of these works without recognizing it. It’s important to lift up the sacredness of everyday actions,” Weber said.

• Read ‘Working Mercy,’ Weber’s article on Pope Francis and his message of mercy
  

Schaffer, the GCU campus minister, expects those who hear Weber speak will leave with a renewed sense of motivation.

“I hope our students, and all who attend, will be inspired to live mercy in their everyday lives,” Schaffer said. “Serving the poor and advocating for justice isn’t an intellectual pursuit. Mercy means serving living, breathing human beings and taking concrete action to help.”

Weber is the managing editor of America Magazine, and is involved with events and speaking engagements based around her “Mercy in the City” book, and continues to perform works of mercy in New York City.

This event is free and open to the public. Reserve seating for this and other public events at Georgian Court University, e-mail specialevents@georgian.edu or call 732-987-2263.

http://youtu.be/TZkfdHRAudw