John of GOD - Portugal - 16th Century

John of GOD was a man of many parts, a shepherd, a soldier, a seller of religious books. He beat himself up once in a rage, and did time in a lunatic asylum. There, he was advised to devote his time to needy people, so in his forties, he began to set up night shelters, for the poor, the sick and the homeless.

He used to say ,’For God’s sake do yourself a good turn ‘. John was accused of consorting with tramps and prostitutes. He explained to the Archbishop, that Jesus was a friend of prostitutes and tax collectors. They would not have accepted Jesus if He didn’t speak their language. ‘I am unfaithful to  my vocation, if I do not speak the language of the poor and underprivileged’, he said.