When Margaret Lawlor was a young woman she saw a golden opportunity to fulfil her desire to help others – little thinking that years later it would lead to a Golden Anniversary!

Now, as Sister Mellitus Lawlor she celebrates 50 years as a Sister of Mercy.  A  Celebration Mass is being held at St. Dunstan’s Church, Woking, on Friday 7 September, when the Principal and Celebrant will be the Bishop of Arundel andBrighton, Bishop Kieran Conry.

Despite her long service, which includes qualifying as a nurse and a long experience of hospital life,  Sister Mellitus is not retiring!  She has been involved with pastoral care at both Ashford and St. Peter’s hospitals for more than 10 years, having become an Ashford Hospital Chaplaincy team member in 1995. Three years ago she joined the team at St. Peter’s and last year was appointed as the first woman Roman Catholic Chaplain at St. Peter’s Hospital and works alongside the Rev. Judith Allford, Head of Pastoral Care at the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust.

Said Sister Mellitus:  “It’s true that I am a “people” person!  I think it is a privilege to be there for people, and with people, and give them the time and help that they need.

“When Judith asked me to join the Chaplaincy team I was very grateful.  I am very happy in my work and I like to think that in my relationship with the staff it helps that they know I have a nursing background.  Having a nursing background is invaluable, too, when talking to patients.

“The Trust has a “right” feel about it and values pastoral care and chaplaincy.  This, together with the great support from our team of chaplaincy volunteers enables the Trust to show its concern for the whole person, be they patients, relatives or staff and encourages an ecumenical approach to care and pastoral work.”

Sister Mellitus was born in Harlesden, Willesden, in 1932.  Despite the family’s strong Roman Catholic background her father initially tried to dissuade her from a religious life.  She trained as a nurse qualifying in 1953 and then completed an extra year’s training in December 1954.  Within weeks – January 1955 – she entered the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy, Marylebone, where she remained,  making her Profession – with the full support of her family  -  in the Chapel of the Mother House, St. Edward’s Convent on 27 August 1957.

She soon found herself back on the wards!  She worked as a Staff Nurse where she had trained at St. John’s and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital – an independent catholic charitable hospital in St. John’s Wood. Over the coming years the hospital amalgamated with another to become St. John and St. Andrew’s Nurse Training School and in 1970 she became Assistant Matron.  After the amalgamation dissolved Sister Mellitus returned to St.John’s and Elizabeth’s where she was Matron from 1972-1989.

During that time, in 1981, it was decided to concentrate the main charitable work of the hospital on developing a five-bed Hospice and today the work continues with 24 beds available and a 30-place day centre. 

Before Sister Mellitus left in 1989 she had felt she was becoming more and more involved in administration work and moving further away from the pastoral care of the sick and the staff.

She said: “I felt drawn to be more pastorally involved with the sick after reflection and discussion I resigned!”

After a Pastoral Ministry course and managing a Sisters of Mercy care home for two years she volunteered to help in St. David’s, Stanwell and in the absence of a Parish Priest assumed responsibility for the pastoral and administrative care of the parish. At the same time she was Project Co-ordinator for the Care of Elderly Religious Project in England and Wales.  

Said the Rev. Judith Allford: “The vows Sister Mellitus took in 1957 committed her to a life of poverty, chastity, obedience and the service of the poor, sick and ignorant – this last vow is now made to the service of those in need.  Today those vows continue to find wonderful expression in the case of those in need especially the sick, their families and carers.”

Footnote: Sister Mellitus’s long and very active vocation does not stop at the Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust!  She is involved in parish life at St. Dunstan’s Church, Woking, and is the parish link with Woking Hospice and Woking CommunityHospital.