Erminio Filippo Pampuri, better known by the name of Saint Richard Pampuri, was born just outside Pavia on August 2, 1897, the tenth of eleven siblings. He lost his mother when he was only three, and in 1907 he lost his father. He was therefore brought up by his aunt, a young student, who belonged to the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

After completing his medical studies when he was 24 years of age, he first of all became a country doctor, working with fervour and compassion putting his faith and his acute sense of the Mission into practice in his professional work. As he wrote to his sister with whom he exchanged copious correspondence:

“Pray that pride, selfishness and any other evil passion will not be able to prevent me from seeing the suffering Christ at all times in my patients, so that I can heal them and comfort them. Keeping this thought ever alive in my mind, how attractive and fruitful the exercise of my profession should appear to me!”

In another letter he wrote: “O God, I wish to serve you in future with perseverance and with the deepest love: for my superiors, my confrères, and the sick, who are the ones you love most. Give me the grace to serve them as I would serve you.”

After his death on May 1, 1930 his reputation for holiness spread throughout the whole of Italy, and then into the rest of Europe and the world. Several miracles have been attributed to his intercession. Today he still continues to attract many pilgrims to Trivolzio where he now rests in the Parish Church.

In the course of his canonisation on November 1, 1989, Pope John Paul II, in his homily, said:

“The short but intense life of Brother Richard Pampuri is a stimulus to the whole People of God, but particularly for young people, doctors and Religious.”

Saint Richard Pampuri, who is admired and venerated with religious devotion by many young people in the Order and by young physicians, stands as a model of faith and prayer, love and charity for young people today. As a humble disciple of Christ in the manner of John of God he was imbued with humanity in the generous way he gave of himself to serve his suffering brothers and sisters.

May he pray and intercede for us.