St. Richard Pampuri

Richard Pampuri lived nearer to our times. Born at Trivolzio, a small city in the north of Italy in 1897, he graduated from his medical course in 1921, after which he worked as a rural health officer assigned in a poor area near Milan. Even now, the inhabitants of that area still remember him for his charity.

Wishing to dedicate himself to the sick in a more complete and total way, he entered the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God in 1927. The Formation house was inside the general hospital managed by the Brothers in Brescia. There he made his religious profession on October 24, 1928.

The Superior entrusted to him the free dental clinic for the poor. Many people flocked to the clinic of Brother Richard not only because of his professional competence but also because of his kindness and gentleness in treating the patients.

Many times he also gave money and food to the needy patients and showed great sensitivity to all. Once there was a malnourished boy who came for dental treatment. After treating him, Brother Richard pretended to ask for money. The astonished boy replied, "But I don't have money to pay." Immediately Brother Richard offered money telling him, "Don't worry, if you can't pay me, I will pay you."

Unfortunately, he started to have some health problems in the beginning of 1929. He has tuberculosis, an incurable sickness at that time. His health would only to fall ill again many times, until he has to be confined in the hospital of the Brothers in Milan on April 18, 1930. There he died in the evening on May 1, the date of his liturgical feast since he was proclaimed blessed in 1981. His body was bought to Trivolzio, his birthplace, where it is venerated in the same parish church he was baptized. Pope John Paul II declared him Saint in 1989. The Pope said, "The short but rich life of Richard Pampuri urges the medical doctors, his colleagues, to carry out delicate professional with commitment, to animate it with Christian, human and professional ideals, so that it will become a true mission of social services, of fraternal charity, of true human growth."

The life of San Richard Pampuri was so short that truly there was no time or opportunity to perform great undertakings. Nonetheless, his life was very meaningful because he held on to a principle which he formulated during his preparation for the Religious Profession, he upheld that: "To do the least of things with great love." It was precisely his daily adherence to this principle that led him on top of holiness transforming his medical activities into a true mission of charity.


© 1996 The Brothers of St. John of God