DOCTOR

 

We are into another month and so many new saints- or those whose lives are presetly being studied. Our next saint reminds me of one of my favorites, St. Giuseppi Moscata: Doctor to the Poor (I can't believe I have not done a Blog on him, but have in past mentioned the wonderful film about him, which can be viewed on Youtube.)   

ST. RICARDO PAMPURI (born Erminio Filippo Pampuri) in 1897 in Trivolzio, Italy,  was an Italian medical doctor and a veteran of World War I who later became a professed member of the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God. He worked as a field doctor on the battlefield during the Great War and was discharged in 1920 when he was able to resume his medical studies, becoming a doctor where he tended to the poor without charge. He became a member of the Third Order of Saint Francis as "Antonio" while founding the Band of Pius X, which he dedicated to the medical care of poor people.

He did not have the easiest beginning, as when he was three years old his mother died and he was then taken into the home of his mother's sister, at Torrino, a village near Trivolzio. In 1907 his father died in a traffic accident in Milan.

He went to two primary schools at nearby villages and then attended a junior high school in Milan. He completed his high school studies as a boarder at Augustine's College, Pavia, where after graduation, he enrolled in the Medical Faculty of Pavia University.

Between the years 1915 and 1920, he was in the fighting zone of World War I. He served firstly as a sergeant and later went into training as an officer in the Medical Corps. In 1921, he graduated top of his class in Medicine and Surgery at Pavia.  After a three years experience with this doctor uncle, and for a short time as temporary assistant in the medical practice at Vernate, he was appointed to the practice of Morimondo (Milan). In 1922 he passed his internship with high honors at the Milan Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In 1923 he was registered at Pavia University as a General Practitioner of Medicine and Surgery. He began to figure a way to  incorporate his work in medicine with Christian ideals. Even as a young boy he wanted to become a missionary priest, but was dissuaded from this on account of his delicate health. While living in the midst of the world, he openly and consistently professed the Gospel message and practised works of charity with generosity and devotion. He loved prayer and kept himself constantly in close union with God, even when he was kept very busy. He had a great devotion to the Euchrist and would spend long periods before the tabernacle. He also had a devotion to the Blessed Mother and prayed the Rosary often more than once a day. He was an active member of Pavia University's Severino Boezio Club for Catholic Action. He also belonged to the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Third Order of St. Francis. 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, helping him to set up a musical band and a Catholic Action Youth Club of which he was the first president.  He organised regular retreats for the Youth Club, farm laborers 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. He was generous, charitable and very concerned for his patients,  visiting them both by day and night, never sparing himself. Since most of his patients were poor, he gave them medicines, money, food, clothing, and blankets. His charity extended to the poor rural workers and needy folk in and around Morimondo and even going further afield to other towns and districts. 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 neighbor. He joined the St. John of God Brothers at Milan on 22 June 1927. He did his novitiate year at Brescia and when it was over, made his profession of religious vows on 24 October 1928. 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. 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. He suffered a fresh outbreak of pleurisy, which he first contracted during his military service, and this turned into broncal pneumonia. On 18 April 1930 he was taken from Brescia to Milan, where he died  on 1 May 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). After his death, his reputation of sanctity which he demonstrated throughout his life, greatly expanded throughout Italy, Europe and the entire world. Many of the faithful received significant graces from God, even miraculous ones, through his intercession. The two required miracles were accepted and he was beatified by St. John Paul II on 4 October 1981. Later on, a miraculous healing through the intercession of Blessed Richard Pampuri, took place on 5 January 1982 at Alcadozo (Albacete, Spain). This was approved as a miracle and so, on the feast of All Saints, 1 November 1989, he was solemnly canonized. "The brief, but intense life, of Brother Richard Pampuri is a stimulus for the entire People of God, but especially so for youth, doctors and religious brothers and sisters. He invites the youth of today, to live joyfully and courageously in the Christian faith; to always listen to the Word of God, generously follow the teachings of Christ's message and give themselves to the service of others. He appeals to his colleagues, the doctors, to responsibly carry out their delicate art of healing; vivifying it with Christian, human and professional ideals, because theirs is a real mission of service to others, of fraternal charity and a real promotion of human life. Brother Richard recommends to religious brothers and sisters, especially those who quietly and humbly go about their consecrated work in hospital wards and other centres, to hold fast to the original charism of their Institute in their lives, loving both God and their neighbour who is in need" (Homily, 4 October 1981). St. Richard Pampuri's body is in the Parish Church of Trivolzio (Pavia, Italy). His feastday is celebrated on 1 May.