WALKING WITH THE SAINTS l FEAST OF ST. JOHN OF GOD, PATRON SAINT OF HOSPITALS, NURSES AND SICK PEOPLE l MARCH 8
Have you heard about the Hospitaller Brothers? Religious men who take care of the sick and psychiatric patients? Friends, we are presenting today St. John of God, the founder of that institution and whom the Church proclaimed as the patron of hospitals, nurses, the sick and a few other things attributed to him. John was born Joao Cidade Duarte on March 8, 1495. At the age of seven, Joao left his home, to help an old mendicant monk beg money, food and clothing for the sick and needy, but he got ill, lost his way home and was adopted by a family
who employed him as a shepherd until he was 27 years old. He then joined the Spanish army, and went to France for the battle, but his companions disliked him because, although he had still many imperfections, he behaved gentlemanly, not like them. He was falsely accused and was sentenced to be hanged, but some
officers testified in his favor and he was instead dismissed from the army. He went back to Spain and became a shepherd again. At age 38, he decided to work in Africa to ransom the slaves, but was not successful. He returned to Spain, settled in Granada and became a peddler of secular books. When he heard a sermon from St. John of Avila, who later became his spiritual director, he
started to give away those books and all his money and began to beg alms for the needy. People insulted him and tried to throw mud at him, thinking that he was getting mad. Some good fellow brought him to the hospital for the mentally ill. He was put in a dirty dungeon with tied hands and feet. St. John of Avila
visited him and asked to bring him to a decent room in the hospital. After a short while, Joao began helping to care for the sick in that hospital and the employees were glad for his generous service. But they were startled when he told them
that he was going to start his own hospital. It was God himself who revealed to him that he had to care for the sick and the abandoned, and his new name was
Juan de Dios (John of God).
After praying before Our Lady of Guadalupe, he started again to beg. Knowing of his plan, many good people began helping him so he was able to rent a small house for a few homeless and sick whom he found under the bridge. After some time, more sick people came to be accommodated and there was a need for a bigger building, so he transferred to an old Carmelite monastery, which was improved and became a hospital. In 1572, with this flourishing hospital, his co-workers formed a community called the “Hospitaller Brothers”, which became the Hospitaller
Brothers of St. John of God, with him as the leader. Many miracles happened even when he was still alive, all about saving lives and caring for the sick and needy. John of God died from
pneumonia contracted while saving a drowning man. When he realized that he was dying, he went over all the accounts, revised the rules and timetable, and appointed a new leader. He died on March 8, 1550, kneeling before the altar in his hospital chapel. He was canonized on October 16, 1690 and was proclaimed patron of hospitals, nurses, the sick, mentally ill patients, book sellers and firefighters. The Order of the Hospitaller Brothers is present in 53 countries, operating more than 300 hospitals, services, and centers serving a range of medical needs in addition to mental health and psychiatry. People who commit to his mission of helping the sick, the poor and the needy count more than 45,000 members, Brothers and Co-workers, with the support of tens of thousands of benefactors and friends.
Virtues: humility, charity, patience, courage, enthusiasm, fortitude
Prayer: “St. John of God, pray for us that like you, we may be mindful of the needs of others especially the sick,
the poor and the abandoned.”
