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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.
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