Monday, July 18, 2016

Homily: July 18 2016 - St. Camillus - Conversion of a Con Man



St. Camillus’ mother died when he was but a young child, and his father was a mercenary soldier, who often left the boy to fend for himself. So the young boy Camillus severely neglected developed many bad habits. He got into fights with the neighborhood boys, he skipped school. One biographer wrote that, in Camillus’ youth, “there were no signs of sanctity”. We might know boys of Camillus…we might have been boys like Camillus.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Camillus at the age of 19 became a soldier, and he quickly picked up a lot of the vices of the military camp—swearing, drinking, visiting prostitutes.  He and his father, Giovanni, even teamed up as a father and son con artists, swindling their fellow soldiers.  Because of his violent habits, after four years, Camillus was discharged from military service and found himself destitute.

He picked up odd jobs here and there until a wealthy gentleman gave him a job doing menial construction work in the Italian village of Manfredonia.  They were employed to construct a new Franciscan monastery, and while working Camillus began to acquire two virtues he had never tried to cultivate before: self-discipline and responsibility.  His faith was kindled when one of the Friars at the monastery began to share the faith with him. 

He tried to enter the Franciscan order on three separate occasions. But was not allowed formal entry into the order because of an incurable wound on his leg.  So this wound eventually brought him to Rome where he was cared for in the famous hospital of San Giacomo. It is there that he fell in love with caring for the sick.  

There too, he put himself under the spiritual direction of St. Philip Neri. St. Philip encouraged Camillus to study for the priesthood. So at the age of 32, Camillus entered seminary. After his ordination he founded a religious order called the “Servants of the Sick” who were devoted for caring for the destitute sick.

What a beautiful conversion. God’s grace has the power to convert even the most hardened sinners. And look how God worked through the generosity of an employer, the word of humble Friar, the care of doctors and nurses.  We never know when our small acts of charity will be the moment when someone, hardened in sin, finds God.  So we should engage in them frequently.


St. Camillus is a saint because someone saw beyond the violent, philandering con man, and showed him dignity by providing an opportunity for Camillus to practice virtue.  May each of us take seriously our own call to conversion and our call to reach out to the destitute with patience and generosity, and to build up God’s kingdom of peace for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

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