Why are you afraid? Do you not realize that this is not your work but mine?
Christ on the Cross speaking to Saint Camillus
Born on May 25, 1550 in the Kingdom of Naples he followed the family tradition of soldiering, fighting on behalf of Venice against the Turks. Addicted to gambling, he found himself broke in 1575 when the regiment in which he was serving disbanded. He began working as a laborer at a Capuchin monastery at Manfredonia. Stubborn and still addicted to gambling, under the tutelage of the guardian of the friary he had a religious conversion but was denied entry to the Order due to a leg wound from his military service which refused to heal.
He moved to Rome and became a caregiver to incurable cases at Saint Giacomo Hospital and eventually its superintendent. At last he had found his vocation. He began his studies to become a priest and was ordained in 1584. He founded the order, Clerics Regular, Ministers to the Sick, eventually known as the Camillans, dedicated to caring for the sick, who quickly achieved fame for their selfless care of the poor ill and of plague victims. Miracles attended him with gifts of prophecy and healing. It was noted that light seemed to shine from his face and that he would appear to levitate. When he was too ill to walk to attend upon the sick he would crawl to do so. By the time he died in 1614 in Rome he was widely regarded as a living Saint. He considered himself a great sinner, who, if he were saved, would only be done so by the precious blood of Christ.
He was beatified by Pope Benedict in XIV in 1742 and canonized by him in 1746. The order that he founded, and the companion female order, continue their good works today.
