The Founder, St John of God

 

Juan Ciudad was born atMontemor-o-novo (Evora), Portugal, in 1495. When he was eight years old, heleft for Spain with the cleric who had spent the night in his home, and stayedat Oropesa (Toledo) working in the service of the home of Francisco Mayoral.


He spent most of his lifethere. The Mayorals were pastoralists. He devoted almost 20 years to grazingthe sheep. Everyone liked him. It was in this time that we believe he wasdeveloping the true meaning of life, passing through the typical ups and downsof his teenage years, his youth and his maturer years.


On two occasions he leftOropesa, both times to enlist as a soldier in the war. The first time he wentto the French border, to Fuenterrabía. Things did not work out well for him. Hereturned home to Oropesa a failure. The second time he went to Vienna, Austria,to fight the Turks. After that, he never went back to Oropesa.


Sailing back to Spain fromVienna he passed through Galicia and visited his home town, where he metpractically no one he knew. He had a powerful sense that Jesus Christ wascalling him to give himself up to serve the poor and the sick. LeavingMontemor-o Novo, he became like a wanderer searching to find whatever it wasthat the Lord wanted of him: Seville, Gibraltar and finally he reached Granadawhere he set himself up as a seller of books on chivalry, and also on religion.


In 1539, as he was listeningto a sermon by Saint John of Avila at the Hermitage of the Martyrs, his wholebeing was transformed and he suffered from a massive crisis of faith, leavingthe Hermitage screaming and rolling upon the ground; he destroyed his bookshop,and continued acting strangely in this manner for several days, until,considering him to be out of his mind, he was locked up in the Royal Hospitalof Granada. He left a few months later, completely calm, at peace with himself,and ready to follow the Lord by offering himself to serve others.


He placed himself under thespiritual direction of St John of Avila, went on pilgrimage to the Shrine ofour Lady of Guadalupe, and on his way home he passed through Baeza where hespent some time with the King of Spain, and as soon as he returned to Granadahe began his work of caring for the sick and needy poor.


He started with absolutelynothing. The local people thought that he had gone mad again. But Little bylittle they began to understand how sane he really was. He worked, he begged,he gathered in the poor, he devoted himself to them at first but, little bylittle, other people came along as volunteers and benefactors. The way hebegged for alms was highly original, as he cried out, "Brothers, do goodto yourselves!".


He eventually founded hisfirst hospital, the House of God, where there was room for everyone. Severalcompanions joined him, and care was organised in the manner that he consideredto be what the poor deserved. The Archbishop of Granada changed his name toJohn of God. He did a great deal of work on behalf of prostitutes, helping themto rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.


He died in 1550, widelyacclaimed as a saint.


Johnof God was beatified on 21st September 1630 by Urban VIII andcanonized on 16th October 1690 by Alexander VIII.


In1886 Leo XIII proclaimed him Celestial Patron of hospitals and the sick and in1930 Pius XI elected him Patron of nurses and their associations.



 

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