St Ermino Pampuri
Doctor, Religious Brother

Ermino Pampuri, was born on August 2, 1897 in Trivolzio, Pavia, Italy.  He was one of one of eleven children.  Ermino experienced the pain of losing a loved one very early in his life. When he was three years old, his mother died.  Ermino was sent to live with his aunt in Torrino. When he was 10 years old his father passed away.

 As a young boy Ermino dreamed of becoming a missionary but his health was delicate and he was dissuaded from entering the priesthood.  He completed the normal course of education. After graduation from high school, he enrolled in Medical school at the Pavia University.

While at the university he actively lived his Catholic faith. He was a member of the University’s Severinoe Boesio  Club for Catholic Action,  the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Third Order of St. Francis.  World War I interrupted his studies.  Ermino served as a sergeant and later was trained as an officer in the Medical Corps. In 1921, he graduated top of his class in Medicine and Surgery from Pavia University.

He practiced medicine with an uncle who was also a doctor for three years.  For a short time he worked as an assistant in a medical practice at Vernate. In 1922, he passed his internship with high honors at the Milan Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  He moved to Morimondo to being his own practice.

At Morimondo, he did more than attend to the physical needs of the people.  He assisted the parish priest to set up a band for the youth in the parish.  He also started a Catholic Action Youth Club and was the club’s first president. He served as the secretary of the Parish Missionary Aid Society.

In June of 1927, Dr. Pampuri joined the Brothers hospitallers of St. John of God fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a religious.  Dr. Pampuri wanted to grow in holiness as a religious  and at the same time carry on his medical profession He made  his profession of vows on October, 24, 1928. Now known as Brother Richard, he was appointed director of the dental clinic attached to the St. John of God Brothers' Hospital at Brescia. This dental clinic was used by the working people and the poor in Brescia.   Brother Richard served all who came to the clinic with charity.

When he was serving in the military during World War I, he contracted pleurisy.  A few years after being assigned to working at the dental clinic he suffered from another case of pleurisy which developed into a case of bronco-pneumonia.  Bother Richard died on May 1^st, 1930 at the age of 33. 

During his life he demonstrated great charity and sanctity.  After his death, his reputation spread through Italy, Europe and the world.  He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1981 and canonized in 1989.