The Holy House of Mercy was established, in 1569, the Hospital of the Poor was created, as well as an isolation hospital to attend the lepers, the Hospital of S. Lazarus, with an attached small church, called Our Lady of the Hope (current church of S. Lazarus), and, also, almost since its beginnings, the House of the Displayed, or Roda, as commonly called, in order to collect the foundlings, generally children of Chinese and slave women. New hospitals had arisen, asylums for aged persons had been established and the orphanages had spread. The poor, in general, were taken care of by giving them material help. As well as the gatherings for women and wisdom in needs.
The income of the Brotherhood came from an annually consigned percentage in the rights of the citizens, as well as of legacies and other particular donations, being rare the rich people who, upon dying, did not bequeath their goods or a part of them to the Holy House of Mercy.
Assistance to sick persons in their own domicile was created. Dowries for the orphan maidens to marry had been instituted. The prisoners, the delinquents, the death convicts were not forgotten as the Holy House of Mercy extended them spiritual, judicial and material assistance.
Nowadays the Holy House of Mercy of Macao constitutes one of the most important social institutions of the city and continues to maintain an active social presence in the now Special Administrative Region of Macao, developing several important activities of social welfare.