Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M.
The Christophers’ Board of Directors
March 8th is the Feast of Saint John of God, who founded the Order of Hospitallers, later called the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God. Born in Portugal on March 8, 1495, John was raised by devout and loving Catholic parents. However, tragedy struck the family when John was kidnapped at the age of eight, and he was later abandoned to a life of homelessness in a remote part of Spain, where he found work for many years as a shepherd.
When he was 22 years old, John joined the army of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and served as a foot soldier for the next 18 years of his life. It is said that during these years he developed a brutal and greedy manner. But after his regiment disbanded, he made a pilgrimage along the “Way of Saint James,” arriving at Santiago de Compostela, where he repented and dedicated his life to serving God.
When he finally returned to Portugal, John discovered that his mother had died of a broken heart after losing him, and his father subsequently joined a monastery. John was institutionalized for a brief time after he was found beating himself in public and begging for mercy for his past sins. It was only after a visit from John of Avila, who advised him to focus on helping others rather than punishing himself, that he was able to move on with his life and dedicate himself to helping those in need.
John turned his home into a hospital, homeless shelter, and halfway house, and many of the people he served eventually joined him in his charitable efforts. When anyone questioned his character based on his past, John would readily admit his faults and simply give glory to God for being granted the grace to turn his life around.
One day, John jumped into a freezing river to save the life of a drowning man. Soon after, John lay dying of pneumonia in one of the very beds he’d used in the past for those in his care. When he received a visit from the Bishop of Granada, who came to administer Last Rites, John raised three concerns with the bishop: 1) that he had not done enough with the graces that God had bestowed upon him; 2) that those in his care might be treated badly in his absence; and 3) that those to whom he owed money might suffer due to his lack of repayment.
The bishop assured him not to worry about these things, at which point John rose from his bed to kneel before a crucifix, where he died in prayer with his face pressed against the figure of Christ on March 8, 1550, the day of his 55th birthday.
Today, the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God are active in 53 countries with tens of thousands of benefactors supporting the work of over 45,000 members, brothers, and co-workers serving sick and needy people.
It is amazing to consider all that has flourished from the seeds of kindness planted by the works of Saint John of God. May we be blessed to recognize the same seeds of greatness at work in our own lives in each act of compassion we show to one another—and may those seeds grow and flourish in our families and communities just like the legacy of John of God continues to grow and flourish in the Brothers Hospitallers who follow in his footsteps today.
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