Burlingame Mercy Sisters begin new project to fight global poverty

Published: 2007-08-27

BURLINGAME, Calif. (CNS) -- The Burlingame regional community of the Sisters of Mercy took steps to "make poverty history," as the title of one of the sessions of their recent annual convocation put it, by giving their blessing to a new initiative called Mercy Beyond Borders. In a presentation to the more than 160 sisters and Mercy associates gathered at the Burlingame motherhouse for the Aug. 9-12 convocation, Mercy Sister Marilyn Lacey outlined a proposal for the new nonprofit entity, which she said will address global poverty with the U.N. Millennium Development Goals as its inspiration. "This can be a million-nun movement which focuses on concrete, small projects," said Sister Lacey, who directed the Diocese of San Jose's Catholic Charities' refugee services outreach for 21 years and during her current sabbatical year is writing a book on refugees. "We can connect Mercy resources in the U.S. with projects already established in the developing countries that need seed money," she said. "We can mobilize our Mercy passion to do this. We have 10 years to meet the U.N. millennium goals." The U.N. Millennium Development Goals include eight objectives which range from halving extreme poverty and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS to providing universal primary health care.

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