On 21 November 1999, in a solemn celebration in Vatican City, Pope John Paul II proclaimed Benito Menni a saint, a man whose dedication to hospitality and service to those most in need has left an indelible mark on the Church and society. This day not only represents a milestone in our history, but is also an eternal beacon guiding the entire Hospitaller Family and beyond.
The legacy of Saint Benedict Menni
Saint Benedict Menni’s holiness lies in his passionate love for God and his service to others. His life was a constant testimony of faith, commitment, and solidarity with those who needed it most. Benito Menni dedicated his life to the sick and marginalised, transmitting a message of hospitality that still resonates today in the daily work of all those who form part of the Sisters Hospitallers. He taught us that great works are built on small, everyday acts of hospitable love.
José Miguel Sirota, a collaborator in the Hospitaller community in Argentina, reminds us that Benito Menni’s message is to be ‘prophets of hospitality,’ a concept that implies dedicating oneself completely to others, from giving a glass of water to listening attentively. His witness reminds us that hospitality is not only a value, but a profound call to transform the lives of others with love and compassion.
The Canonisation
For those who had the opportunity to experience the canonisation of Saint Benedict Menni in the Vatican, like José Miguel Sirota, it was a moment of immense joy and unity. Collaborators, religious men and women, and the Hospitaller Family, together with the Brothers of St. John of God, celebrated with emotion this milestone, which represented the expansion of Menni’s message of hospitality and mercy at a global level. It was a day that connected all those present in a shared mission, uniting hearts around the values that Saint Benedict Menni left us as a legacy.
The call to holiness in our time
Saint Benedict Menni inspires us to continue his legacy through our own journey of holiness, remembering that, as Pope Francis has said, this is ‘simply the one of all Christians’ and ‘the one we must do every day.’ In a homily in 2016, the Pope stressed that holiness rests on four fundamental pillars: courage, hope, grace, and conversion. As a Hospitaller Family, we take these pillars as a guide in our service, following Menni’s example and committed to making a difference in the lives of those who need us most.
Today, we remember and celebrate the canonisation of Saint Benedict Menni, and ask for his intercession to guide us in our daily mission. May his life be a constant inspiration to us and a reminder that the true path to holiness lies in service to others, building a more just and compassionate society.
Saint Benedict Menni, pray for us.