Our health is our wealth. Health of body and peace of mind are indeed rich blessings that many long for.
Western culture, continues to value life on how the human person can contribute to society or economy. This is in stark contrast to the gospel vision, that life is both gift and sacred, that humanity, is created in the image and likeness of God.
In a culture that tries to dehumanise the human person, I continue to be inspired by people like St Camillus who personifies the Gospel.
Saint Augustine once said “Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future”.
Often it is through our wounds where we discover empathy, wholesomeness and a desire to serve God. Humanly speaking, Camillus was not a likely candidate for sainthood.
His mother died when he was a child, his father neglected him, and he grew up with an excessive love for gambling. At 17, he was afflicted with a disease of his leg that remained with him for life.
In Rome he entered the San Giacomo Hospital for Incurables as both patient and servant, but was dismissed for quarrelsomeness after nine months. He served in the Venetian army for three years.
Then in the winter of 1574, when he was 24, Camillus gambled away everything he had — savings, weapons, literally down to his shirt.
He accepted work at the Capuchin friary at Manfredonia, and was one day so moved by a sermon of the superior that he began a conversion that changed his life. He entered the Capuchin novitiate, but was dismissed because of the apparently incurable sore on his leg.
After another stint of service at San Giacomo, he came back to the Capuchins, only to be dismissed again, for the same reason.
Again, back at San Giacomo, his dedication was rewarded by his being made superintendent. Camillus devoted the rest of his life to the care of the sick.
Along with Saint John of God he has been named patron of hospitals, nurses, and the sick. With the advice of his friend Saint Philip Neri, he studied for the priesthood and was
ordained at the age of 34.
Contrary to the advice of his friend, Camillus left San Giacomo and founded a congregation of his own. As superior, he devoted much of his own time to the care of the sick.
In 1586 the ‘company of good men’ obtained the approval of Pope Sixtus V and in 1591 Pope Gregory XIV gave them the status of an Order with the name of ‘Order of the Ministers of the Sick’, a name chosen by the Founder to indicate that its members had to have Christ as their model: ‘I did not come to be served but to serve and give life’.
Today, the Ministers of the Sick are known throughout the world as the Camillians. The Order is made up of priests and brothers who as religious enjoy equal rights and have the same obligations.
The Order, as its constitution observed, dedicated itself ‘before anything else to the practice of works of mercy towards the sick’ and ensured that ‘man is placed at the centre of attention of the world of health’.
The members of the Order professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience and consecrated their lives ‘to service to the
sick poor, including the plague-ridden, in their corporeal and spiritual needs, even at risk to their own life, having to do this out of sincere love for God’.
‘Our Institute… has, as its purpose, the complete service of the sick in the totality of their being’ and is ‘prepared to undertake every type of service in the health care world for the building up of the Kingdom and the advancement of humanely.
Faithful to this undertaking, hundreds of Camillians died serving people who had the plague.
Charity was the first concern Camillus and his religious order, but the physical aspects of the hospital also received his diligent attention.
Camillus insisted on cleanliness and the technical competence of those who served the sick. The members of his community bound themselves to serve prisoners and persons infected by the plague as well as those dying in private homes.
Some of his men were with troops fighting in Hungary and Croatia in 1595, forming the first recorded military field ambulance. In Naples, he and his men went onto the galleys that had plague and were not allowed to land.
He discovered that there were people being buried alive, and ordered his brothers to continue the prayers for the dying 15 minutes after apparent death.
Camillus himself suffered the disease of his leg through his life. In his last illness, he left his own bed to see if other patients in the hospital needed help.
The legacy of Saint Camillus continues to be felt throughout the world in the missionary order he established. In many hospitals. including in Ireland, chaplains follow the way of life inspired by Saint Camillus.
Their ministry especially to HIV victims and in more recent times during the COVID pandemic, allowed the most vulnerable to be cared and loved in the name of God’s mercy.
Prayer to St Camillus
St Camillus, the Lord has filled your heart with firm love for God and a self-sacrificing love of neighbour.
In fact, it was above all for the love of God that you spent your life in love and service of the poor, the sick and the dying.
In our life, we know that love of God and love of neighbour are the principal commandments and yet often we live our life in selfishness.
We ask you, St. Camillus, to intercede for us to the same God you love. Let our hearts be filled with that love that comes from God; and let our concern be always for God’s love and for service to our neighbours.
Now we would like to pray for the following persons… Through your intercession may their needs be granted.
We also pray for all the sick and the needy, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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