July 18 2023 - St. Camillus de Lellis, priest - The Con Man's Conversion

 The saint we honor today had, what we might call, a troubled childhood. St. Camillus’ mother died when he was very young, and his father was a mercenary soldier who often left the boy to fend for himself. So the young boy Camillus developed many bad habits. He got into fights with neighborhood boys, he skipped school. One biographer wrote that, in Camillus’ youth, “there were no signs of sanctity”. We might know children like Camillus…some of us might have been children like Camillus.

At the age of 19, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a soldier, and he quickly picked up a lot of the vices of the military camp—swearing, drinking, and 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. 

Camillus 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.  The construction crew was 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.  

When his construction job was done he set out for Rome to work at the famous Hospital of San Giacomo where he fell in love with caring for the sick.   

In Rome, Camillus sought the spiritual direction of St. Philip Neri who 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! At many points in his life, it seemed unlikely that Camillus would come to such great holiness.  So we must be patient with the people in our lives who are struggling to find the right path. 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 simple faith sharing of a humble Friar, and the counsel of a holy spiritual director.  People who seem to be oblivious to the need of putting their life in order, might experience great conversion when a simple Catholic shares the faith with them.

St. Camillus is a saint because Catholics saw beyond the violent, philandering con man, and showed him dignity by providing opportunities for Camillus to practice virtue.  

God is at work in the life of every human soul. As corrupt or lost they may seem, God is at work to bring about what we might deem as the most unlikely of converts. And instead of having knee-jerk reactions, turning away from people who aren’t living righteous lives by our standards, we do well to consider what we might do to help them, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That the Holy Spirit may help us to be instruments of grace and conversion, to hardened sinners, fallen away Catholics and to the faithless.  

That our young people on summer vacation may be kept safe from the poisonous errors of our culture, and that their families may be places where the faith is practiced and cherished.

That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering. 

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.