St. Camillus and Servants of the Sick

HOW GOD USED ST. CAMILLUS TO FOUND THE ORDER, SERVANTS OF THE SICK

By Dr. David Thorrez

Camillus was born and baptized in the Holy Year 1550 was brought to a deep conversion to God in the following Holy Year 1575. God had brought him to the point, he said, that he would rather be cut up into pieces than to commit even one venial sin.

He went to Rome to the Hospital of St. GiacÛmo where he had once been treated for a serious leg wound. As superintendent there, he tried to inspire the servers to a true love for the sick and suffering. But the servers came and went. Even some of the priests neglected the sacraments to the dying.

God gave him the idea to found a congregation of holy secular priests who would serve for the love of God and with the care of a mother for a sick child.

He called together a few other men, one a priest. They changed one of the hospital rooms into a prayer room. When they left after praying every day, they were like "the seraphim burning with love to serve the sick."

Yet within a few days, the board of directors of the hospital forbade the group to meet or form any society and ordered him to dismantle the prayer room. Grieved, Camillus took out the crucifix and spent the night in prayer.

One day while praying and groaning about the many difficulties, he saw plainly the hands of Jesus separate from the cross and heard the words: "Why are you troubled, O coward? Persevere in your work, for I will help you, for this is my work and not yours." The brothers continued meeting early each morning in a church.

Camillus shared his vision of the group one day with a holy man who was associated with St. Philip Neri. The holy man advised Camillus to leave the hospital and begin in a rented house.

First however, Camillus had known that God wanted him to be a priest and he, an unlearned adult, had to join classes of youths to study grammar & theology. Finally he finished his studies; but he needed a certain income promised him in order to be ordained. This endowment was unexpectedly given to him by a benefactor. Camillus was ordained on Pentecost and said his first Mass on June 10, 1584.

Within 2 months of ordination, Fr. Camillus with 2 others moved out of the hospital and began to live in a small church to which Fr. Camillus was appointed chaplain. The men began to wear on their cassocks a red cross on the chest. Fr. Camillus wrote down some short rules and the 3 men began to serve the sick with the most fervent love at the Hospital of the Holy Spirit. The men gave the sick food, made their beds, encouraged them to be patient and to devoutly receive the sacraments. By a living faith and burning charity they served the sick as though they saw in them the very person of Jesus, wounded and fainting.

However, when Fr. Camillus later went to get his crucifix from the Hosp. of St. GiacÛmo, the priest in charge there rebuked him for leaving & taking away his own 2 best servers of the sick. This priest then went to Fr. Cís spiritual director, St. Philip Neri and complained. St. Philip had supported Camillus in everything up to this event but St. Philip did not agree with Camillus and asked him to chose another confessor.

Within another year, the fame of the virtue of these 3 men spread through Rome & attracted many to join their company. But the labor was difficult and some left. Only a few were robust in body and inspired with true courage. C thought they should call themselves "Servants of the Sick".

The men had no income, and by law could not beg. God, who clothes the lilies of the field and feeds the birds of the air, at this time provided for these poor servants of His through another benefactor.

Camillus’s original understanding of Godís will was to found a lay group without vows that would serve in hospitals. However Godís plan as it unfolded inspired the Popes to make it into a religious community of priests and brothers with solemn vows that would especially care for the sick in times of pestilence, prisoners, and those dying a home as well as hospitals. Godís intent for this group was to strengthen those dying in their painful agony, especially with the sacraments. They sought to "Console the dying at the time of his death", as Ecclesiasticus says. The change to a congregation and later to an order came about as follows.

Camillus knew that they had to get the blessing of the Holy Father. But he knew no cardinals. He turned to God in prayer. One day in his work, he met Cardinal Mondovi and he explained the situation of the community to him. The Cardinal was very pleased with the simplicity and candor of Camillus and asked him for references. When the Cardinal consulted these gentlemen, they reported what Camillus was attempting and also his great charity and other virtues. The Cardinal was surprised that an unknown and uneducated person would be so inspired to start a work that was so important. He used all his influence with the Pope. Sixtus V, asked a Sacred Congregation to consider the matter and in March of 1586 the Pope confirmed that Camillus and his companions should live together in poverty, chastity, obedience and the service of the sick and plague stricken ñ not bound by vows but freely and voluntarily.

Sixtus V said he wanted to get to know Camillus, and Camillus went immediately to see him and kissing his feet said that he was only the unprofitable servant that the Lord had made use of. He thanked the Pope and said he placed the congregation forever under the special protection of the Holy Father.

There were pleas for houses to be established in Naples, Bologna and other cities. However Camillus did not have enough men who were ordained priests. All his priests at that time, like himself had to have an endowment before they were ordained. The Cardinal of Bologna saw that the proper thing was to make the congregation into an order and this would allow priests to be ordained without an endowment.

The matter was taken to the proper Congregation in the Curia. This group solicited input from others. Some persons, including St. Philip Neri, doubted whether the intense external works of charity could be continued in the same zeal by religious if they were bound by solemn vows. They thought is wiser to leave out the vows and make it open so that unfit members could leave if their ardor cooled. But the majority including Cardinals Mondovi and Sfondrato saw the advantage of vows. Before the Sacred Congregation could send its recommendation to Sixtus V, he died.

Camillus and his men continued their work. Once when he was taking food to the sick, Camillus fell in with Card. Sfondrato on the road, who was very inspired seeing Camillus distribute the food. From this time on, this Cardinal held the congregation in such esteem that, when he was made Pope, he changed the congregation into an order, and gave the order alms from the papal household. This occurred in Sept 1591 ñ just days before the Pope died. Camillus and the men of his order had gone through a long summer of famine ministering to the sick and hungry. After this famine ended with crops of that year, Camillus felt an urging to get the congregation approved as an order and did so with urgency, which proved to be from Got. The next 2 popes were completely against the formation of any new orders.

Camillus made his solemn profession of vows on the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary along with 25 others.

It seems Our Lady had a special hand in Camillus’s life: he had been converted to God on the feast of the Purification of Mary, he was inspired to found the congregation on the Assumption, which be began on the feast of her Nativity.

On that evening of the Immaculate Conception, Camillus called the group together, embraced them all and then knelt down and renounced whatever he had or could have in the world, and asked as an alms that the order loan him his bed and the clothes on his back.

Camillus gave them a sermon on the hope they should always have in Godís protection from the verse "Fear not little flock". His words had the powerful effect of persuading them to persevere, to advance more and more in perfection and to trust in God, who he hoped in time would multiply his little flock and plant it in other parts of the world.

St. Camillus, patron with St. Joseph of the dying,

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St. Camillus, patron of those who work in hospitals,

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