Ascension Creates “Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy”

Last updated on: September 13, 2025 at 2:19 pm by William Hemsworth

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Ascension Creates “Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy” 2025-09-13T14:19:59-07:00 William Hemsworth

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Adding to the roster of the popular Pocket Guide line, Ascension has released Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy, a book for Catholics that helps them to learn how to better see their neighbor and treat everyone with the dignity they deserve.

Written by Claire Couche, Elizabeth Marcolini, and Neena Gaynor, Catholic writers and stewards of hospitality, this prayerful book accompanies the faithful as they learn to embrace mercy as the language of love.

Created with Catholics in mind, Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy includes:

A foreword written by Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, host of the #1 podcast The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR)
Examples of where each work of mercy can be found in both Old and New Testaments
Personal stories and anecdotes written by the authors
Opportunities to pray and reflect on the ways readers are called to live out the works of mercy in their own lives
Practical suggestions for living out the works of mercy no matter your season of life
And more!

Author Elizabeth Marcolini comments on her desire for Catholics as they read the new Pocket Guide: “My hope is that this book inspires you to receive the merciful love the Father has for you, and that you would respond to that love by being His hands and feet in a hurting world.”

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This book makes a perfect addition to the beloved and best-selling Pocket Guide collection:

Pocket Guide to the Rosary (Matt Fradd)
Pocket Guide to Adoration (Fr. Josh Johnson)
Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson)
Pocket Guide to Novenas (John-Paul and Annie Deddens)
Pocket Guide to the Stations of the Cross (Dr. Edward Sri)
Pocket Guide to Prayer (Dr. Edward and Beth Sri with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR)
Pocket Guide to Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins (Fr. Josh Johnson)

Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy is available at www.AscensionPress.com/mercy.

Praise for Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy

“Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy by Claire Couche, Neena Gaynor, and Elizabeth Marcolini is a beautifully written, easy-to-read reference that helps you practice, ponder, and pray through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. With Scripture readings from both the Old and New Testament for each work, it roots your daily actions in God’s Word while keeping things practical. The stunning artwork draws you in, making it a book you’ll return to often as you seek to live mercy in the everyday. This guide will help you grow in holiness while making mercy a habit, one small, beautiful step at a time.”

–Mary Lenaburg
Author of the award winning Be Brave in the Scared

“Our authors invite us to consider the Works of Mercy, the seven corporal works and the seven spiritual works. Many of us dutifully learned these in our catechesis, but I dare say only a few could pass a quick quiz to recount them all. So, a genuine word of gratitude for this Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy is due. The construct of each chapter permits us both Old Testament and New Testament reflection. As I read each chapter’s ‘practice’ I often identified in my mind people who witness these practices to me. Also, I might even note that I do some of these things or I have done these things. This leads me to consider the suggestions that are perhaps not always a part of my life and routine. This book is an invitation to virtue that I hope will bring both comfort and challenge.”

–Most Revered William F. Medley

Bishop of Owensboro, Kentucky

About the Authors

Elizabeth Santorum Marcolini is the CEO of Rose Roofing and Restoration, a high-growth construction company in Virginia. She earned her Bachelors from the University of Dallas and holds a Masters in Theological Studies from the John Paul II Institute. She resides in Virginia with her husband, Matt, and their three children, Zelie, Gianna, and Lorenzo.

Neena Gaynor is a Catholic beekeeper and master gardener. She lives in Kentucky with her husband and sons, where she finds inspiration in the rhythms of rural life. Her works include The Bird and the Bees, a Christian novel, and the beloved children’s book, A Garden for Mary. She shares more about her life and the Lord on her blog, Words like Honey.

Claire Couche is an etiquette instructor dedicated to helping others cultivate grace, virtue, and beauty. With an academic background in theology, history, and nursing, she brings depth and clarity to her teachings on living out etiquette through practical insights rooted in Catholic tradition. Claire shares on her Instagram account @findingphilothea and blog, Finding Philothea, and lives in Texas with her husband and son.

About Ascension

Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of more than 20 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® podcast, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and Ascension Presents, which hosts one of the largest Catholic YouTube channels in English.

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