July 18 | Saint Camillus de Lellis

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, we are heading back to the 1500s for a story that starts with total disaster.

Picture this, a young soldier, stranded and completely out of luck. He has gambled away everything he owns, his money, his military equipment, and get this, even the very clothes right off his back. To make matters worse, he is suffering from a brutal, incurable disease that has left rotting, painful sores all over his leg. He has nothing to his name. If you looked at this guy, Alone and desperate, you would probably think his life was over. You definitely wouldn't think, hey, that guy is going to be a famously holy saint.

But you'd be wrong. Today, we are talking about Saint Camillus de Lellis. Camillus was born in modern-day Italy in the year 1550. His life started with severe heartbreak when his mother died while giving birth to him. His father was a soldier who was detached from his family's life, leaving Camillus to be raised by his aunts and uncles.

But when he turned 17, Camillus decided he wanted action. He packed up and joined the army to fight alongside his father. Military life wasn't exactly good for him, though. While serving, he developed a massive gambling addiction. It completely ruined him. He bet and lost his equipment and clothes, leaving him completely destitute and wandering home with absolutely nothing.

Adding to his misery was the painful, incurable sore on his leg that he contracted in the army, a wound that would plague him for his entire life. He eventually found a job at a Franciscan friary, and it was there, at his absolute rock bottom, that everything changed. While working at the friary, Camillus experienced a massive change of heart. He completely repented of his reckless past and became a man of his word. He became a man of his word, and he became a man of his word.

And decided to live a quiet life of penance. He famously declared, My hope is placed in your divine mercy through your precious blood. Now, because of the incurable sores on his leg, Camillus spent a lot of time as a patient in hospitals. But hospitals back in the 1500s were essentially horror shows. They weren't places of healing. Since they did not have real medicine to cure diseases, hospitals were just dirty, overcrowded places where people went to die. It was so bad that many hospitals and hospitals in the United States didn't have real medicine to cure diseases.

Actually hired criminals just to do the basic chores because no one else wanted to step foot inside. Camilla saw this terrible reality and decided he couldn't just stand by. He saw the desperate need for basic human care and dignity, and dedicated the rest of his life to making a massive change.

He started caring for both the spiritual and physical needs of the patients around him, eventually realizing his true calling, studying for the priesthood, and receiving holy orders in 1584. Father Camillus was a force of nature. He gained a passionate following and eventually started his own religious order. His brothers took the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but Camillus added a powerful, specific fourth vow, unfailing service to the sick. They opened a hospital where the brothers did everything. They made beds, actively cared for the sick, and most importantly, made sure every single person died with dignity.

But remember those health issues? They didn't magically go away. In fact, as Camillus got older, his health problems multiplied. The terrible sores on his leg got worse. He contracted severe digestive issues that made it impossible for him to eat, and he even developed more painful sores on his feet.

But did he stop? Not a chance. Camillus insisted that his brothers focus their time and energy on the other patients in the hospital, placing their needs far above his own. In a display of mind-blowing dedication, even when Camillus was so sick that he was completely unable to walk, he would literally crawl from bed to bed to serve the sick however he was able.

Camillus finally succumbed to the many illnesses that overtook his body, passing away on July 14, 1614. Right before he died, he gave final instructions to his order and received the Eucharist. Pope Benedict XIV canonized him in 1746. Today, you will often see him depicted wearing a black cassock, holding a sick person who typically resembles Jesus. St. Camillus de Lellis is officially the patron saint of nursing, nursing associations, and the sick.

So, what can we take away from St. Camillus for our lives today? You don't have to start a hospital to make a difference. Look for the people in your school, your neighborhood, or your youth group who are hurting, isolated, or feeling completely forgotten. Challenge yourself to step out of your own comfort zone, put your minor inconveniences aside, and show radical, self-sacrificing kindness to someone who needs help. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.