St. John of God HD

From his early childhood until the day he died, St. John of God was known as someone who followed every impulse of his heart. St. John of God was a Portuguese soldier who later became a health-care worker in Spain. He was born on March 8, 1495, under the name João Duarte Cidade, to a family of great faith in what is now considered Southern Portugal. When John was eight years old, he heard a priest speak of the amazing adventures awaiting as the new world opened in 1503. That night, he ran away to travel with the priest and never saw his parents again. St. John of God was forced to beg from village to village as a now homeless orphan in the streets of Spain. While in this foreign land, he was eventually taken in by a man named Francisco Mayoral, and John grew to become a shepherd caring for sheep in the countryside. He continued with this life well into his twenties when the farmer who cared for him began to pressure St. John of God into marrying his daughter. John did not want to be wed. So, he took off to join the Spanish army as a foot-soldier in the war against France. As a soldier, St. John of God's life became anything but a model of holiness. One day, after experiencing a frightening wakeup call, he vowed to make big changes in how he was living. He returned to the farmer's house to work once again as a shepherd. He stayed for four years, living a pastoral life. However, after deciding to enlist alongside troops on their way to fight against the Turks, St. John of God went on to serve as a trooper in various parts of Europe for the next 18 years of his life. With nowhere to really call home, 38-year-old St. John of God decided he would go to Africa to help ransom Christian captives. However, while awaiting to board the ship that would take him there, he befriended a Portuguese knight and his family who were all exiled to Africa. John abandoned his original plans and volunteered to be their servant, where he cared for them while they were sick. John later returned to Spain where he really started living the spiritual life he had wanted for so long. He spent his days unloading ship cargo and his nights visiting churches and reading spiritual books. He became a book peddler, traveling from town to town selling religious books and holy cards. At 41 years old, St. John of God is said to have experienced a vision of the Infant Jesus, who bestowed the name John of God on him and directed him to go to Granada, where he sold books from a little shop. While there, John heard a sermon from John of Avila on repentance and was overcome with the thought of all his sins. St. John of God’s overwhelming behavior had the whole town thinking he had lost his mind. He was eventually admitted to the Royal Hospital reserved for the mentally ill and received the treatment of the day, which was to be segregated, chained, flogged, and starved. John of God was visited by St. John of Avila, who told him his penance had gone on long enough and he would do better serving the needs of others rather than enduring personal hardships. After serving as a volunteer nurse within the hospital for some time, John was dismissed and free to live his life. While making a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, it is said he experienced a vision of Mary, who encouraged him to work with the poor more. St. John of God listened and began using all his energy in caring for the neediest people. He opened a house where he tended to the sick and poor. Given his mental reputation, though, John found it difficult to find support for his mission. But he didn't let that stop him, and he worked even harder to get the supplies he needed to help until he finally received help from charitable priests and physicians. Slowly, St. John of God drew himself a circle of dedicated disciples who felt called to join his mission. He organized his followers into the Order of Hospitallers, who were approved by the Holy See in 1572 as the "Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God." Today, the group cares for the sick in 53 countries, with more than 300 hospitals, services, and centers to serve medical and mental health needs. St. John of God's Order has even been entrusted with the medical care of the pope. St. John of God died on March 8, 1550 of pneumonia after saving a young man from drowning in a river. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VIII in October 1690 and became the patron saint of hospitals and the sick. St. John of God's feast day is celebrated on March 8. Learn more about St. John of God: https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint... St. John of God PDF: https://bit.ly/3MKOYeP Catholic Online Learning Resources: Free Printable Educational Resources for Students, Parents, and Teachers https://catholicresources.education/