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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