WITNESS
7-18-13
SAINT CAMILLUS OF LELLIS
Patron Saint of Nurses
Saint Camillus of Lellis
Was born in 1550
In what is now known as Southern Italy
He was an exceptionally big man
And he joined the Venetian army
To fight against the Turks
He had a temper
And was a gambler
He contracted
An incurable disease of the leg
And lost everything gambling
At that time
He experienced a religious conversion
And tried to become a Franciscan
But his health
Prevented him from doing so
He did become a priest
And founded a congregation of male nurses
To serve the plague stricken
In hospitals, in their homes
And prisoners
Some of them
Even served on the battlefield
Many of them
Lost their lives
Through contracting the plague
From their patients
In spite of suffering
A variety of serious illnesses himself
He continued to help the sick
To the very end of his life
Today
He is considered to be
Patron Saint of the sick, of hospitals
AND OF NURSES AND PHYSICIANS
His feast day
Appears on the Roman calendar
On July 18th
Robert P. Wallman
7-23-13
Ps WITNESS 7-18-13
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