Camillus de Lellis had lost everything.
His mother was dead, his father had neglected him, and by seventeen he had developed an incurable disease in his leg.
Now, at twenty-four, in the teeth of a harsh winter, he had gambled away nearly all he owned—down to his last shirt.
With nowhere to turn, he thought of the hospital where he had once served as a patient and orderly. But even there he was unwelcome; his anger and quarrelsome temper had seen him expelled.
The only refuge left was the most unlikely: a Capuchin friary in Manfredonia. Desperate, Camillus took a job there.
God began to work on him. One day, while he labored, a sermon pierced his heart and sparked a slow, steady conversion.
Camillus longed to join the Capuchins and applied to their novitiate, but his diseased leg led to rejection. He tried several more times and was refused each time.
Instead of relapsing into his old fury, Camillus let the refusals humble him. He devoted himself to caring for the sick.
Guided by a friend—Saint Philip Neri—Camillus pursued the priesthood and was ordained at thirty-four. Soon after, he founded the Order of the Camillians, dedicated to serving the sick.
He bore his affliction for the rest of his life, yet it only deepened his compassion and zeal.
The Church honors him today, July 18, on his feast.
We must all be transformed by humility if we long to join St. Camillus in the joys of Heaven. However, humility is a virtue that must be worked at. Begin your journey towards saint-like humility today with the beloved classic Humility of Heart. Order your copy today from The Catholic Company.
