After a troubled early life, St Camillus became the most unlikely saint for healthcare workers and the sick, writes Fr Stephen Foster MI

St Camillus is perhaps the most unlikely of saints. Even his mother, while carrying him in her womb, feared after a dream she had that she would give birth to the leader of a band of brigands. Had she lived a few more years, she would have thought her dream was coming true if she had seen the way he lived between the ages of 17 to 25.

She dreamed that he and his followers would have a large red cross emblazoned on their chests.

St Camillus was born on May 25, 1550. He was born in Bucchianico in the Abbruzzi region of Italy. His name was Camillus de Lellis. His mother was quite advanced in age when she gave birth to her son. An earlier child, Camillus' elder brother died in childhood.

Camillus' mother died when he was 13. At the age of 17, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become a mercenary soldier. He travelled with his father and fought many battles. His father died early in Camillus' new career and, so, he was left without any family.

Camillus was an imposing figure. He was 6' 6" in height and he developed a bad temper. He also became addicted to gambling and was often found in the middle of card games. During one game in Naples, he even bet the shirt on his back and lost, thus leaving the game half-stripped.

He once challenged a fellow soldier (comrade in arms) to a duel over a dispute. Camillus lived a dangerous life and was a man of violence. It was during these years that he developed a leg wound that would prove incurable and he had it for the remainder of his life.

At the age of 25, he was converted. He was on his way to Manfredonia in Southern Italy when he was so overwhelmed by the sins he had committed and the dissolute life he led, that he got down from his horse and asked God to forgive him.

He vowed from this moment to live his life only for God. ''No more the world for me,'' he said. He vowed at this time to join the Capuchins and later did so believing this to be God's will for him.

However, despite his best efforts in the Capuchins and the high esteem in which he was held, he was released as his leg wound was aggravated by the coarse habit they wore. The Friars encouraged him to go to Rome for treatment. He went to Santo Spirito Hospital where the sick were not well cared for.

Sick people

Eventually, Camillus realised that God was calling him not to be a Capuchin but to care for the plague ridden sick people in the Hospital and in the city of Rome and, so, he dedicated his life to serving the merciful Jesus Christ in the sick and the dying.

He realised he could not do this alone and so he called others to follow his example, embracing not only the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience but a fourth vow also to care for the sick even with danger to one's own life.

He called on his followers to be dead to the world and dead even to their own life, living only for the merciful Jesus Christ.

He referred to the Sick as his Lord and Master and he would ask forgiveness of them for his sins. He would often quote to his companions the words of our Lord. ''I was sick and you visited me.'' (Matthew 25:36)

''More love in those hands brother,'' he would say in urging and encouraging his fellow Camillians in their care for the sick and the dying.

St Camillus loved Jesus in the Eucharist and would spend a long time in prayer each day before the Blessed Sacrament. He loved Jesus in the sick.

He believed his sole role was to alleviate the sick in their suffering, assured that what he was doing to them he was doing to the Lord Himself. No patient was too dirty, too sick or too malevolent for him not to care for them.

Many of the sick were afflicted with the plague. Thus, the Camillians' fourth vow was to serve the sick, even those who were afflicted with the plague at the risk of being contaminated and losing their own life.

Call

Many Camillians died as a direct result of looking after these sick people. But for Camillus and his followers, this was their call. This was their vocation. This was what Christ wanted them to do. They could think of nothing better than to lay down one's life for Christ and the sick. ''Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, you do for me.'' (Matthew. 25:40)

(Pictured: An Italian nurse with the Servants of St Camilus Disaster Relief Services at work in Haiti)

So, it would be decreed for all time that the Camillians would take four vows, poverty, chastity, obedience and service to the sick even with danger to their own life.

They would become known as the Fathers and Brothers of a Happy Death, so much was the comfort that they brought to the dying.

Indeed, St Philip Neri, who was Confessor to St Camillus said he saw on many occasions Camillian Fathers and Brothers speaking words of spiritual comfort to the dying and standing beside these, Camillians angels of God speaking into the ears of the Camillians the words of comfort they were to offer to the dying.

The Order officially came into being on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 1591 when Camillus and his first followers took their vows.

An eyewitness, Fr Cicatelli said that when St Camillus professed his vows before the cardinal, he was overcome with emotion.

The work of Camillus was described by the Pope Sixtus V as a 'new school of charity'. The first group was truly international.

There were 13 men aside from Camillus. Even though our Province, Anglo-Irish, would not come into being until just before World War II 350 years later, we know that among his first followers were two English priests, Fathers Roger and Robert and one Irish Brother, John Baudin, -- a native of Galway.

Frs Roger and Robert both died very early in this new work along with many other Camillians as a direct result of caring for sick people who were so greatly afflicted by the plague. Br John Baudin died some years later.

St Camillus served the sick tirelessly throughout his life. His greatest joy was to be in the midst of the sick and to be able to alleviate their suffering. He would feed them, wash them, bandage their wounds and he would even confess his sins to them and ask pardon of them.

He would also wash their bandages believing this to be complete and total service to the Lord Himself.

Camillus having exhausted himself in the service of the sick, died on July 14, 1614 aged 64. He died proclaimed by those who knew him as a holy man and indeed a saint. He was canonised a saint of the Church in 1746 by Pope Benedict XIV.

Death

One of the most famous counsels he offered to his confreres was the following. ''Brother, if you commit a sin and take pleasure in it, the pleasure passes but the sin remains. But if you do something virtuous even though you are tired, the tiredness passes and the virtue remains.''

Fr Stephen Foster is based in Dublin and is Provincial of the Anglo-Irish province of the Order of St Camillus

Heart of St Camillus

The Heart of St Camillus is our most precious relic from the Saint's lifetime and has been in our possession since the time of his death. The Heart will be brought to Dublin from Rome in July to mark the 75th anniversary of the Order's beginnings in Ireland.

The heart will be present in St Camillus Nursing Centre, Killucan, Co. Westmeath from July 11 to 14. Mass will be celebrated on the Feast of St Camillus, July 14, in Killucan at 7pm by Bishop Michael Smith.

The heart will be taken the following day to the Mater Hospital Dublin where our chaplains work and Mass will be celebrated at 1pm. The Heart will be present in the Pro-Cathedral Dublin on Friday July 16 and Mass will be celebrated at 7:30pm by Fr Stephen Foster, Provincial of the Order of St Camillus.

The heart will be taken to Knock on Saturday July 24 and Mass will be celebrated at 3pm.

There are other dates that may be arranged at a later stage.

www.orderofstcamillus.ie