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JOHN of God
- Also
known as
- Juan de Dios
- Memorial
- 8
March
- Profile
- He grew up working as a shepherd,
misspent a wild youth, and travelled over much of Europe
as a soldier
and mercenary. Fought through a brief period of insanity.
In his 40's, to make up for the misery he had caused as
a soldier,
he left the military, rented a house in Granada,
Spain,
and began caring for the sick,
poor,
homeless
and unwanted. He gave what he had, begged
for those who couldn't, carried those who could not move
on their own, and converted
both his patients and those who saw him work with them.
John founded the Order of Charity and the Order
of Hospitallers of Saint John of God. Friend of Saint
John
of Avila. His motto: "Labor without stopping. Do
all the good works you can while you still have the time."
- Born
- 8
March 1495
at Montemoro Novo, Evora, Portugal
- Died
- 8
March 1550
while praying before a crucifix, dying from a illness contracted
while saving a drowning man
- Canonized
- 1690
- Name Meaning
- God is gracious (= John)
- Patronage
- alcoholics,
alcoholism,
bodily ills,
bookbinders,
booksellers,
dying people,
firefighters,
heart patients,
hospitals,
hospital workers,
nurses,
publishers,
printers,
sick people,
sickness,
Tultepec Mexico
- Prayer Links
- Prayer to...
Prayer re...
- Representation
- alms;
crown of thorns; heart
- Storefront
- Commercial
Links related to Saint John
- Images
- Gallery
of images of Saint John of God [9 images,
235 kb]
- Additional
Information
- Google
Directory: Hospitaller Brothers of Saint John of God
Google
Directory: Saint John of God
Compass:
A Jesuit Journal, by Mary Rose Donnelly
For
All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein
Saint
John of God Brothers
Catholic
Online
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
Saints
for Sinners, by Alban Goodier, SJ
Hospitaller
Brothers of Saint John of God
Catholic
Encyclopedia: Brothers Hospitaller of Saint John of
God, by Louis Gaudet
Catholic
Encyclopedia: Saint John of God, by F M Rudge
Hospitaller
Brothers of Saint John of God
Vietnamese
Eucharistic Youth Society
Readings
- Labor without stopping; do all the good works you can
while you still have the time.
Saint John of God
If we look forward to receiving God's mercy, we can never
fail to do good so long as we have the strength.
For is we share with the poor, out of love for God, whatever
he has given to us, we shall receive according to his promise
a hundredfold in eternal happiness. What a fine profit,
what a blessed reward! With outstretched arms he begs us
to turn toward him, to weep for our sins, and to become
the servants of love, first for ourselves, then for our
neighbors. Just as water extinguishes a fire, so love wipes
away sin.
So many poor people come here that I very often wonder how
we can care for them all, but Jesus Christ provides all
things and nourishes everyone. Many of them come to the
house of God, because the city of Granada
is large and very cold, especially now in winter. More than
a hundred and ten are now living here, sick and healthy,
servants and pilgrims. Since this house is open to everyone,
it receives the sick of every type and condition: the crippled,
the disabled, lepers, mutes, the insane, paralytics, those
suffering from scurvy and those bearing the afflictions
of old age, many children, and above all countless pilgrims
and travelers, who come here, and for whom we furnish the
fire, water, and salt, as well as the utensils to cook their
food. And for all of this no payment is requested, yet Christ
provides.
I work here on borrowed money, a prisoner for the sake of
Jesus Christ. And often my debts are so pressing that I
dare not go out of the house for fear of being seized by
my creditors. Whenever I see so many poor brothers and neighbors
of mine suffering beyond their strength and overwhelmed
with so many physical or mental ills which I cannot alleviate,
then I become exceedingly sorrowful; but I trust in Christ,
who knows my heart. And so I say, "Woe to the man who trusts
in men rather than in Christ."
from a letter written by Saint John of God
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