Saint Benedetto Menni was an exception to this rule, as he was ordained as a priest in Rome on October 14, 1860. During that time, the Spanish branch of the Hospitallers Order declined due to the implementation of Masonic laws in Portugal in 1834 and in Spain in 1835. Saint Benedict was sent to Barcelona on April 6, 1867, with the mission of reviving the Hospitaller Order in these countries.
Despite facing numerous challenges and risks, Saint Menni not only attracted many individuals to join the order, with nearly a thousand vocations from 1867 to 1903, but he also established 22 hospitals in Spain, Portugal, and Mexico. These hospitals catered to various illnesses, with a particular focus on mental patients and disabled children, who were often neglected by public healthcare during that era.
Additionally, Saint Menni founded a female branch of the Order known as the Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Presently, the Sisters have a presence in 20 countries, with almost 80 communities.
What is truly remarkable about Saint Menni's life's work is the sheer number and complexity of the endeavors he undertook, which have stood the test of time for over a century. The key to his success lies in his genuine and heroic detachment, always considering himself a humble instrument in the hands of God, devoid of personal ambitions or human plans.
Saint Menni's feast day is celebrated on April 24, the day he passed away in Dinan, France, in 1914.
His relics are located at the Mother House of the Congregation of Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Ciempozuelos, Spain.
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