Quoted below, in part, is from REGINA Magazine [1], by Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, 1877:
... One day John met on the road a poor barefooted lad, shivering with the cold. He took him up in his arms to bring him to a shelter. At first his burden appeared light, but gradually the burden became so heavy that he was obliged to sit down and rest. The boy then made himself known by displaying a pomegranate surmounted by a cross, saying, at the same time: “John, you will find your cross at Granada.” After these words he vanished. John, moved by an interior impulse, proceeds to Granada, hears a sermon preached, on the feast of St. Sebastian, by the celebrated F. Avila, which so touched his heart with sorrow for his sins that he wept aloud.He now began in earnest to lead a penitential life. A desire to humble himself and to court the contempt of the world, induced him to act for a time the part of a madman. He was, therefore, taken to the hospital, locked in a cell, and subjected to harsh treatment. F. Avila, hearing of this, ordered him to lay aside his assumed madness, and perform the will of God by assisting the poor and sick. He obeyed, and waited upon the inmates of the hospital. Very soon, however, he purchased a dwelling with the alms he had gathered, and fitted it up for the reception of the sick. He carried the infirm on his shoulders to this house, and received those who came with the greatest tenderness. He cheerfully procured food and medicine for the sick, waited on them by day and night with the most unwearied zeal, consoled them in their sufferings, encouraged them to patience, and, when there was danger of death, exhorted them to receive the last Sacraments. He never left their bedside until death had claimed its own. God also sent him companions, who followed his example with zeal and devotion. Thus did the Order of Charity begin, which afterwards spread over many countries and wrought the salvation of many souls. The clergy and laity were greatly pleased with this work of charity, and gladly assisted John with abundant alms. In asking alms, he always said: “Be merciful to yourself, and do good to yourself; for,” he used to say, “almsgiving is of far more benefit to the donor than to the receiver.” At other times he would exclaim: “Brethren, do good while you have time.” Still abuse and injury from the ill-disposed were not wanting. St. John also had to suffer much from calumny and persecutions. This, however, did not prevent him from continuing his life of sacrifice. To his enemies his answers were always full of meekness, and thoughts of revenge were foreign to him. “If I wish to be saved,” he would say, “I must pardon my enemies sooner or later; I will do it rather this moment.Though he was meek and gentle to his enemies, tender and charitable towards the sick, towards himself he had only austerity; for he chastised his body by watching, fasting, and other penances. Prayer occupied all the time not employed in works of charity. Our Lord and His Blessed Mother frequently appeared to the Saint, while engaged in this exercise. Thus, our, Lady once showed him a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, with these words: “Through thorns and suffering, my Divine Son wishes you to merit the crown prepared for you in heaven.” Hardly had these words been spoken, when acute pains seized the Saint over his whole body, but more particularly in the head. However, by meditating on the Passion of Christ, and the greatness of the future reward, he lessened his sufferings. On another occasion, he found a traveller lying on the road who seemed to be dangerously ill, and, transporting him to the hospital, he washed his feet and laid him in a bed. As he was about kissing the feet of the poor man, according to his usual custom, he remarked that they were transpierced. It was Christ Himself, under the form of a poor man, who spoke thus to St. John: “Whatever you do to the needy and suffering, I take as done to myself.” At another time, he fell to the ground under the weight of a sick man whom he was carrying, and a beautiful youth helped him to arise. On being asked who he was, the reply was given: “I am the Archangel Raphael, commissioned by the Almighty to protect and guard you and yours.”
Quoted from Wikipedia [2]:
Slowly John drew to himself a dedicated circle of disciples who felt called to join him in this service. 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, who care for the sick in countries around the world.
Quoted from another page in Wikipedia [3]:
The Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God (officially the Hospitaller Order of the Brothers of Saint John of God; abbreviated as O.H.) are a Catholic order founded in 1572. In Italian they are also known commonly as the Fatebenefratelli, meaning "Do-Good Brothers" , and elsewhere as the Brothers of Mercy, the "Merciful Brothers" and the "John of God Brothers". The Order carries out a wide range of health and social service activities in 389 centres and services in 46 countries.
From the same page cited immediately above, there were sexual abuse scandals reported in Australia and New Zealand. [4]
It is a sad reality that no matter how holy a founder is, evil can find ways to pervert the founder's hopes and well-intentioned objectives.
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_God, quoted without references and hyperlinks.
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_Hospitallers_of_Saint_John_of_God, quoted without references and hyperlinks.
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