THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT CAMILLUS DE LELLIS The Priest Who is the Patron of the Sick Feast Day: July 14, July 18 (United States)
"Think well. Speak well. Do well. These three things, through the mercy of God, will make a man go to Heaven."
Camillus de Lellis, the patron of hospitals, physicians, nurses and the sick, was born on May 25, 1550 in Bucchianico (now in Abruzzo), Chieti, Kingdom of Naples. Camilla Compelli de Laureto, his mother, was nearly 50 years old when she gave birth to him. His father was an officer in both the Neapolitan and French royal armies and was seldom home.
Camillus had his father's temper and, due to his mother's age and retiring nature, she felt unable to control him as he grew up, that was until her death in 1562. As a consequence he grew up neglected by the family members who took him in after her death.
He joined his father in the Venetian army and fought in a war against the Turks at the age of 16. After a number of years of military service, his regiment was disbanded in 1575. He entered Rome's San Giacomo Hospital for treatment, but was eventually turned out of the hospital because of his quarrelsome attitude.
Ultimately, he lost everything in gambling at the age of 25, and was forced to work in the Capuchin convent of Manfredonia, located in the province of Foggia. The moving exhortations of the father guardian, touched his heart and thereafter he offered himself to God.
Since he was not accepted by the Capuchins, became of a leg disease, he went to the hospital of San Giacomo in Rome, which was in horrible conditions. Most of the personnel were recruited among ruthless people, and many patients were buried still alive. Camillus served the sick with such charity that soon he was appointed general superintendent, and began to put things in order.
In the meantime, he continued to follow a strict ascetic life, performing many penances, such as constant wearing of a hairshirt. He took as his spiritual director and confessor the popular local priest, Philip Neri, who was himself to found a religious congregation named the Congregation of the Oratory and be declared a saint.
After his ordination at the age of 34 by Lord Thomas Goldwell, Bishop of St Asaph, Wales on Pentecost 1584, Camillus founded a congregation - the Clerics Regular, Ministers to the Sick, dedicated to the care of the hospitals. Their members, known as Camillians, were to serve the sick as if they were serving the Lord himself.
Camillus said to them: 'If there were no poor people in the world, we should have to go below the earth to look for them and rescue them!'
In 1588, some Camillians went on board of some infected ships outside the harbor of Naples. Two of them died of pestilence, and were regarded as the first martyrs of the Congregation.
Camillus de Lellis died in Rome on July 14, 1614 at the age of 64. Beatified in 1742 and canonized a saint four years later by Pope Benedict XIV. In 1886, Pope Leo XIII proclaimed him patron of all hospitals and of the sick.
Years later, he was named co-patron with St. John of God, of nurses and nursing associations by Pope Pius XI, and Camillus had an assistance is also invoked against gambling. His mortal remains are located in the altar in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Rome, along with several of his relics.
