ST RICHARD PAMPURI, RELIGIOUS AND DOCTOR

ST RICHARD PAMPURI, RELIGIOUS AND DOCTOR - 1 MAY

SAINT RICHARD PAMPURI, RELIGIOUS AND DOCTOR

Erminio Filippo Pampuri was born at Trivolzio (Pavia, Italy), on August 12, 1897 and was baptised the following day.

After school graduation, he enrolled in the Medical Faculty of Pavia University. Interrupted by a spell of serving in the Medical Corps during the First World War, he completed his studies and graduated in medicine in July 1921.

A CLOSE UNION WITH GOD

He loved prayer and kept himself constantly in close union with God, even when he was kept very busy. He assiduously attended the Eucharistic table and spent long periods in profound adoration before the Tabernacle. He had a tremendous devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed the Rosary often more than once a day.

CATHOLIC ACTION

Since his boyhood he was involved in Catholic Action so when he arrived at Morimondo to practice medicine, he gave valuable assistance to the parish priest and helped him to set up a musical band and a Catholic Action Youth Club of which he was the first president. Both of these under the patronage of St. Pius X. He was also secretary of the Parish Missionary Aid Society.

He organised regular retreats for the Youth Club, farm labourers and local workers, at the Jesuit Fathers' "Villa del Sacro Cuore" at Triuggio, generally paying their expenses. He used to invite his colleagues and friends to come along as well.

LIFE AS A RELIGIOUS

When eventually he was to leave his practice in six years time, to become a religious, the grief at having lost the "holy doctor" was so greatly felt everywhere, that even the daily press took up the story.

Dr Pampuri joined the Hospitaller Order of St John of God so as to follow the way of evangelical holiness more closely and at the same time to be able to carry on his medical profession so as to alleviate the suffering of his neighbour. He joined the St John of God Brothers at Milan on June 22 1927. He did his novitiate year at Brescia and when it was over, made his profession of religious vows on October 24, 1928. His name in religion was Brother Richard.

He was then appointed Director of the dental clinic attached to the St John of God Brothers' Hospital at Brescia. This was mostly frequented by working people and the poor. Brother Richard untiringly gave himself fully to serving them with such wonderful charity that he was admired by all.

A MODEL OF VIRTUE AND CHARITY

Throughout his life as a religious, Brother Richard was, as he had always been before he became a St John of God Brother, a model of virtue and charity: to his Brothers in the Order, the patients, the doctors, the paramedics, the nurses, and all who came into contact with him. Everybody agreed upon his sanctity.

HIS HOLY DEATH

He suffered a fresh outbreak of pleurisy, which he first contracted during his military service, and this degenerated into specific bronco-pneumonia. On April 18, 1930 he was taken from Brescia to Milan, where he died in sanctity on May 1 at the age of 33 years: "leaving behind, the memory of a doctor who knew how to transform his own profession into a mission of charity; and a religious brother who reproduced within himself, the charism of a true son of St John of God" (Decree of heroic virtue, 12 June 1978).

(Information from: https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19891101_pampuri_en.html)

ST VALENTINE, BISHOP OF RHAETIA - 7 JANUARY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY Saints celebrated on the 7th of January WELCOME! SAINT VALENTINE, BISHOP OF RHAETIA Saint Valentine (Valentinus) is the patron saint of the diocese of Passau. The Proprium of Passau relates his life story as follows: Saint Valentine came from the seashore and arrived at Batava, today's Passau. Here he wanted to proclaim the gospel to the inhabitants, who were ignorant of the true worship of God, and therefore went to Rome to obtain the necessary authority from the Pope for this undertaking. Upon his return, he invested much time and effort to gain those lost souls for Christ, as the Pope expected him to. Valentine himself thirsted for their salvation, incessantly preaching the Divine word to them. After some considerable time, however, Valentine realised that all the seed he had sown fell on rocky ground. Thus he travelled again to Rome with the request to be sent to another place that had fertile soil. The Pope received him graciously, consecra...

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