2007-10-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

Short history of the lawside Romania project

Lawside is an area in Dundee, Scotland, where there is a convent of mercy. In this convent are sisterS who, inspired by a wonderful foundress, Catherine MCAuley, dedicate their lives to works of mercy.

While working in Providence Row, London, in a sisters of mercy project for homeless people, sister aloysius met Baroness Emma Nicholson who pleaded with her to get some sisters of mercy out To Romania.

Emma had just returned from “save the children” work there and her plea was on behalf of orphans and abandoned children.

No sooner said than done!

Sister Aloysius was assigned to Dundee as co-ordinator in Lawside Convent but with the assurance of freedom to go to Romania, to investigate the possibility of mercy work there.

So, in July 1991, Sister Marie Therese and Sister Mary
Aloysius set out for the romanian mission, exactly 160 years after Catherine McAuley had founded the mercy order.

Lawside Project was born!

“The spirit of Catherine McAuley challenges us to respond to present needs with compassion and justice”

(from Sister Evelyn's letter, 8th Sept. 2003)

The Lawside Project could not survive without the continued support of many donors and the enthusiastic co-operation of many volunteers from Britain and Romania.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all.

While we name a few of our outstanding supporters, we are ever mindful of the anonymous, elderly person who, with wavering handwriting, sent several times, a good wishes note with 1 pound enclosed.

The many school children, the guild ladies, the variety of churches surrounded us with their generous giving.

The Union of the Sisters of Mercy, the press and “my weekly” readers, the Bishop, City Chambers and the Lord Provost, Football Club, Servite Trust, Stagecoach, Police, so many benefactors, too numerous to mention.

We apologise if we have left some people unmentioned.

Then there were Florin, Jean and Mihai who were helped to have proper medical treatment in good hospitals in
Romania.

How could we miss out Tiberius with a serious physical handicap but smart enough to keep a small business.

We had the pleasure and satisfaction in helping him open a small shop in front of Budimex Hospital. “Tibby” now goes around with a smile on his face he is so happy and grateful!

Now it is clear we cannot cover 12 years of works of mercy but we guarantee our brochure will be bigger and better because Lawside Romania Project will continue, with God's help, to spread his mercy where it is so much needed.

O Divine Master
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand To be loved as to love
For it is
In giving that we receive It is in pardoning
That we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born To eternal life.

(Prayer of St. Francis)

Make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury pardon. Where there is doubt faith. Where there is despair hope. Where there is darkness light. And where there is sadness joy.
(Prayer of St. Francis)

In our presentation we wanted to cover all Lawside Romania Project's activities.

We wanted to present to you all the places where Sisters of Mercy act to give a better life to people in need and act to bring peace and joy to those who had lost hope.

For one moment we felt we had succeeded in presenting the total picture but, then we remembered Lawside Romania Project sending one child, Adrian, to be
operated in Guy's Hospital, London. We remembered also that little Nicusor (orphan boy) had been operated in
Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, also under umbrella of
Sisters of Mercy.

We must mention Alexandra, a beautiful fourteen year old girl with serious medical problems whose case has been investigated in Hungary and France with help from Lawside Romania Project.