Italy Revisited by Mary Melfi

Health Care
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Italy

Date: Centuries-old

Notes: Prior to World War II religion and health care in Italy were intrinsically linked. Back then Italy (nor did Canada) have "Medicare" -- "free" access to medical services. Nowadays both countries do, but at the time most individuals, particularly those living in the countryside, had little, if any, recourse to affordable medical care. Besides the use of home-made remedies and evil eye antidotes, Italians turned to their faith in times of crisis. Everyone (few skeptics back then) believed in the power of prayer. Medical cures were inevitably ascribed to the intervention of la Madonna or a favored saint. Nowadays the medical community would attribute these cures to "the placebo effect." Still, miracles did happen. Photo: by the contributor.

Contributed by: Mary Melfi

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Italy

Date: 1900s

Notes: Here is an image of Mother Cabrini. Her religious order, the "Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart" did charitable and religious work among the very poor, first in Italy, and then abroad. She established over 70 hospitals, schools and orphanages throughout the world. In the late 19th century and early 20th century quite a number of hospitals in Italy were run by religious orders. Nuns often acted as nurses (though, of course, they were not paid a salary, but were given room and board in return for their services). Despite the involvement of the church in health care, most services were beyond the means of the average Italian. Prior to World War II those living in the countryside had little, if any access, to hospital care. While "charity wings" in certain hospitals in Italy's larger centers did take in the needy, those living in the countryside couldn't afford the travel costs to get there. So, the sick and the dying were generally taken care of by family members at home; local doctors were called in, but only in times of emergency, as their fees were considered too high. Italian-born Mother Cabrini (became an American citizen in the 1912) tried to revolutionize Italian health care by not only insisting that all people, regardless of income, should have access to good medical care, but by actually going out into the world and creating institutions that offered free medical care to those in need. Being a dynamic and charismatic figure (the Oprah of her day) she managed to raise funds for dozens of first-rate hospitals in her lifetime (Columbus Hospital in New York City is just one of the many projects she saw to completion). In 1946 Mother Cabrini became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. She is considered the patron saint of immigrants.
A copy of the painting from which the image of Mother Cabrini was taken from can be found in the Church of La Madonna della Difesa in Montreal's Little Italy. For more information visit: www.mothercabrini.org.

Contributed by: Mary Melfi

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Cattolica Eraclea, Sicily, Italy

Date: 1960

Notes: At eighteen months old Alessandroo Bordonaro got a viral infection and in his own words, "da quel momento la mia vita non e stata piu normale." Living in Sicily was difficult, while there was lots of sun, "la miseria" (poverty) cast a dark shadow. After World War II his parents immigrated to Canada; he stayed in Italy where his aunt looked after his care. Eight years after his parents immigrated, he decided to make Canada his home as well. After his parents died, he resided at Centro Dante where he found a new, loving family: "Qui me sento veramente bene, sono contento perche sono circondato da gente premurosa che non bada al ceto sociale, o alla ricchezza. Qui siamo tutti uguali. Una vera familglia!"
The photo and short biography of Alessandro Bordonaro were first published in Centro Dante's "Album di Famiglia (1996)." Permission to use the material was given by Santa Cabrini Hospital's administration. For further information visit: www.santacabrini.qc.ca.

Contributed by: Courtesy of the Santa Cabrini Hospital

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