18. Development & Maintenance of Christian
Charity & Compassion
• Created a diaconia that cared for widows (Acts 6:1-
7)
• Furnished matricula (church lists of needy persons)
• Established common treasuries to aid the needy
(1 Corinthians 16:2)
• Formed collegia, soladitates, or factionis
(voluntary associations) to aid the unfortunate
19. • Provided for orphans:
-Godparents at baptism
(care for their orphaned godchildren)
-Helped solicited by bishops
- Orphanotrophia introduced (buildings for orphans)
-Brephotrophia established (buildings for foundlings)
•Introduced morotrophia (mental asylums)
•Established nosocomia,
(first institutions that served only the
sick)
20. • Constructed xenodochia
(buildings that housed
strangers, travelers and the sick.
• Operated ptochia
(institutions for the poor)
• Introduced gerontocomia
(institutions for the aged)
• Established typholocomia
(institutions for the blind
21. • Provided medical care by Knights
Hospitalers of St. John during the
Crusades
• Provided health care for lepers by
Hopsitalers of St. Lazarus during the
Crusades
• Maintained voluntary associations
32. “It is by divine design that local churches
provide the primary context in
which Christians are to use their
material possessions to further the
work of God’s kingdom.”
--Gene Getz