They came from Killucan and Raharney, from elsewhere in Westmeath and the midlands, some from the furthest corners of Ireland, and others from abroad for the 400th anniversary of St. Camillus de Lellis, once a soldier, a drunk and a gambler and now the worldwide patron saint of the sick, carers and hospitals.
The St. Camillus chapel at the St. Camillus Nursing Centre, Killucan was the focus of attention for the past week and more of the ceremonies leading up to the four centuries anniversary on Monday of this week, 14 July, of the death in 1614 of the man who may once have been considered the most unlikely of future saints and is now known throughout the world, for his intercessions and attributed miracles and through the ongoing work of hospitals and other centres, and communities, religious and lay, that he founded.
FOUR CENTURIES
The feast of St. Camillus is celebrated worldwide on 14 July, and on Monday of this week, 14 July, the annual feast day was marked in a special way from 10pm until 2am, with ceremonies including Mass, a holy hour and a poignant candlelight procession around the grounds of the St. Camillus Centre, Killucan.
The main ceremonies this year were on Sunday last, 13 July, marking the four centuries since the death of St. Camillus.
The Sunday ceremonies were attended by Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz – originally from Brazil and now the senior prelate in the Vatican responsible for religious communities throughout the world – and by the Bishop of Meath, Bishop Michael Smith, and hundreds of others, including Fr. Stephen Foster, MI, Fr. Frank Monks, MI, and many more members of the Order of St. Camillus, including Fr. Donato Cauzzo, MI, the private secretary to the Cardinal.
All participated in the concelebrated Mass, with Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz sharing the occasion with all present, his words translated simultaneously by Fr. Frank Monks, Killucan.
AROUND THE WORLD
Men, women, teenagers and children attended the ceremonies during the last week, which included the conclusion of the annual Novena to St. Camillus, the annual three days Triduum, and the celebrations on the feast day.
The weekly 10.30am Sunday Mass and all other ceremonies in the St. Camillus chapel are transmitted ‘live’ around the world on the St. Camillus community’s website (www. orderofstcamillus.ie), and all of the ceremonies there during the last week were also viewed ‘live’ by people of the area who could not attend and by people abroad.
