"... I was hungry and you gave me food...
I was sick and you visited me, in prison
and you came to see me...
I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did
this to one of the least of these brothers
of mine, you did it to me. "

(Matthew 25: 35. 36.40)

 he Lord Jesus is the soul of our life, the force which opens our being to love. He is the most beloved Son consecrated and sent into the world by the Father (cf. Jn 10:36). In the image and likeness of Jesus, those who are called to follow Him are also consecrated and sent into the world to continue His mission.
A man among the men and women of His time, He made allowances for their weaknesses, came to their assistance in times of trial and infirmity, shared their sufferings, and called to Himself those who were weary and oppressed
(cf. Mt 11:28-30).
The "mission"
"The evangelical witness to which the world
is most sensitive is that of attention to individuals
and charity towards the poor, the little ones, and those
who suffer. The gratuitous nature of such an attitude
and such endeavors in such profound contrast with
man's inherent egoism, give rise to direct questions
leading to God and to the Gospel".

(John Paul II)

 By vocation we strive to follow His footsteps, living the specific mission towards those who suffer. This distinguishes us among secular Institutes in the Church. By virtue of our consecration, the "mission" is expressed in the acts and the offering of life itself, especially for those on the verge of death. The red cross we receive together with the crucifix at the moment of Donation constantly reminds us of our commitment for full and boundless love.
Inspired by the spirituality of St. Camillus de Lellis, our "mission" is addressed to each and every suffering person, and urges us to be the presence of the Risen Christ, the Hope of humankind, among the neediest of His and our brothers and sisters: those who are sick, dying, disabled, outcast, or oppressed by any form of suffering. Our "mission" calls upon us to attend to all forms of physical and psychic suffering.

From the very beginning, therefore, we took upon ourselves the fourth bond of charity towards the suffering, committing ourselves to live the "mission" towards those afflicted by suffering in any form it may assume. It is with this spirit that we work in the various professions, not necessarily limited to health care, in all areas of volunteer work, in society at large, and in ecclesial settings.

In keeping with personal situations and possibilities, we are open to all the works of Christian mercy wherever a presence of hope may prove necessary, and we seek to heighten the awareness of others as well, working together with them to discover new forms of suffering and new forms of service as times and situations may dictate.

At the very basis of our "mission" we place faith in the significance and value of life, faith in the value of the individual and in the inseparable unity of each person's spirit and body. Without such a vision it is impossible to grasp the sense of human suffering and its redemptive significance.
"Remember 'to hold the hand' of God who is the good Father, to remain in communion with Christ who is our hope, to heed the holy and sanctifying Spirit, to be daughters for Mary, the sign of our sure hope and consolation, to look upon Camillus de Lellis and to love him. I call upon you to work with both resoluteness and humility in order to spread our spirituality and our "mission"".

(Excerpt from the Testament of Germana; 23/11/83)