MEMORIAL OF SAINT CAMILLUS DE LELLIS, PRIEST; SAINT FREDRICK, BISHOP AND MARTYR AND SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 18TH
(Note: Saint Camillus de Lellis, Priest—USA Optional Memorial today, he was celebrated on the anniversary of his death on July 14 outside the United States)
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Camillus de Lellis, Priest; Saint Frederick, Bishop and Martyr and Saint Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons, Martyrs. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for those going through difficulties especially during these challenging times, for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT CAMILLUS DE LELLIS, PRIEST: St. Camillus de Lellis (1550–1614) turned from his life as a soldier and gambler to become the founder of an order dedicated to caring for the sick. In some other countries, besides the United States, he is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, July 14. St. Camillus was born in 1550 and his mother was nearly sixty years old when he was born in Abruzzo, a small town of the Kingdom of Naples in present-day Italy. His mother died during his infancy, and he lost his father, a former army officer, six years later. The young man took after his late father professionally, serving in the armies of Venice and Naples until 1574. As a youth he gave himself to the sinful pleasures of this world. He was a wild, undisciplined youth who became a battle-hardened soldier with a violent temper and a gambling addiction. His bad behavior, combined with a persistent war wound in his leg, left him in poverty. During his military service Camillus developed a severe gambling problem. He repented of the habit and his conversion dates from the feast of the Purification, in 1575. He repented when he found himself impoverished and forced to do menial work for a group of Franciscans. In February of that year he resolved to change his life and soon sought to join the order. A wound in one of his legs, however, was seen as incurable and kept him from becoming a Franciscan. After this rejection, he traveled to Rome and worked for four years in a hospice, in a hospital for incurables. Committed to a life of prayer and penance, he wore a hair shirt and received spiritual direction from St. Philip Neri. Grieved by the quality of service given to the sick, St. Camillus decided to form an association of Catholics who would provide them with both physical and spiritual care.
He studied for the priesthood, and was ordained in 1584. Members of his order worked in hospitals, prisons, and in the homes of those afflicted by disease. The order’s original name, the “Fathers of a Good Death,” reflected the desire to aid in their spiritual salvation and prepare the dying to receive their last rites. Later known as the Order of the Ministers of the Sick, or simply as the “Camillians,” the group received papal approval in 1586 and was confirmed as a religious order in 1591. In addition to the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, they took a vow of unfailing service to the sick. St. Camillus himself suffered physical ailments throughout his life. His leg wound failed to heal over the course of almost five decades, in addition to which he suffered from sores and severe kidney trouble. But he is said to have spent time with the sick even while unable to walk, by crawling from bed to bed. The founder of the Ministers of the Sick lived to assist at a general chapter of his order in Rome during 1613, and to make a last visitation of many of their hospitals. Learning that he himself was incurably ill, St. Camillus responded: “I rejoice in what has been told me. We shall go into the house of the Lord.” Receiving the Eucharist for the last time, he declared: “O Lord, I confess I am the most wretched of sinners, most undeserving of your favor; but save me by your infinite goodness. My hope is placed in your divine mercy through your precious blood.” After giving his last instructions to his fellow Ministers of the Sick, St. Camillus de Lellis died on July 14, 1614. He was canonized by Benedict XIV in 1746, and later named – along with Saint John of God – as one of the two main co-patrons of nurses and nursing associations in 1930. Leo XIII proclaimed him patron of hospitals and the sick and Pius XI declared him the protector of all nuns who care for the sick. He’s the Patron Saint of bodily ills; hospitals; hospital workers; the sick, doctors and nurses.
PRAYER: God, You adorned St. Camillus, Your Priest, with the singular grace of charity toward the sick. By his merits, pour forth the Spirit of Your love into us, so that by serving You in our brothers here on earth we may safely come to You at the hour of death. Amen 🙏
SAINT FREDRICK, BISHOP AND MARTYR: Saint Frederick (c 780 – c 838) was Bishop from c 815 – c 838. He was born around 780 in Friesland and was a grandson of the Frisian King Radboud. At a young age he was taught at Utrecht by the clergy, including Bishop Ricfried. Filled with piety and learned in spiritual things, he was ordained by Bishop Rickfield and given the task of instructing catechumens. In 820, St. Frederick succeeded the same prelate as Bishop of Utrecht. The Saint was consecrated in the presence of the Emperor, Louis the Debonair, who advised him to stamp out the remaining vestiges of idolatry in Friesland. Frederick took the advise and sent zealous laborers into the north to extirpate the paganism still lurking there. He reserved for himself the most troublesome territory, Walcheren, an island belonging to The Netherlands that was rampant with incestuous marriages contracted within the forbidden degrees. St. Frederick worked unceasingly to eradicate this evil from the people, by means of assiduous exhortations, tears, watching, prayer and fasting. He called an assembly of the principal people of the land and sent forth the ways and means by which such and abomination could be eliminated for good. In this way, he put an end to many such marriages and brought back to God numberless persons who were truly contrite.
At the same time, hearing of some of the numerous immoralities attributed to the Emperor’s second wife, the saintly Bishop went to the court to which he had free access and boldly admonished her. Though he did so with apostolic freedom and true charity, thinking only of her welfare, St. Frederick incurred the wrath and resentment of her husband.
Thus it was not very surprising on July 18, 838, as St. Frederick stepped down from the altar after saying Mass and was on his way to the side chapel to make his thanksgiving, that he was set upon by two assassins and stabbed to death. He died with the words of Psalm 116 on his lips: “I shall praise the Lord in the land of the living.” And the reputation of his sanctity spread quickly far and wide. Saint Frederick was recorded by his contemporaries, who praised his wisdom, prudence, piety, and virtues. Poems and hymns were written in his honor. Saint Frederick composed a prayer to the Holy Trinity, which was used in the Netherlands for centuries.
PRAYER: God, You gave splendor to Your Church by granting St. Frederick the victory of martyrdom. Grant that, as he imitated the Lord’s Passion, so we may follow in his footsteps and attain everlasting joys. Amen 🙏
SAINT SYMPHOROSA AND HER SEVEN SONS, MARTYRS : St. Symphorosa, a native of Tivoli, lived in the second century, was the wife of the martyr Getulius. She bore him seven sons, Crescentius, Julian, Nemesius, Primitivus, Justinus, Stacteus, and Eugenius. According to early chronicles, St. Symphorosa and her seven sons, whom she instructed in the Christian Faith, were martyred at Trivoli, near Rome, circa 120 AD during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (Adrian). Their piety was tried by many different tortures, and, on their remaining constant, the mother, who had taught her sons, led the way to martyrdom. Their story comes just days after the feast of the Seven Holy Brothers, the sons of St. Felicitas (July 10th). St. Symphorosa’s husband, St. Getulius, was a native of Gabii in Sabina. He was an officer in the Roman army, but resigned upon being baptized a Christian, ultimately retiring to his estate near Tivoli. Caerealis, an imperial legate, was sent to arrest him, but was converted to Christianity by St. Getulius. Another officer, Primitivus, was sent to arrest St. Getulius, but he was also converted. Upon the orders of Emperor Hadrian, the men were tied to a stake and set alight. The fire did not harm them, so they were brutally clubbed and then beheaded. St. Symphorosa buried their remains in an arenarium on their estate. Shortly after her husband’s martyrdom, St. Symphorosa and her seven sons were brought before Emperor Hadrian who demanded that they worship the pagan gods. Refusing, St. Symphorosa received a martyr’s crown when, after various tortures, she was thrown into the Anio River with a heavy rock fastened to her neck. She died in the 138th year of the Christian Era. Her brother took her remains and buried them alongside her martyred husband.
On the following day, her seven sons were brought before the Emperor, who represented to them that, as they had neither father nor mother, he would adopt them as his own children and provide for them most bountifully, if they would obey him and sacrifice to the gods. Should they, however, prove as obstinate as their parents had been, they had nothing to expect but torments and death. “This is what we desire,” answered Crescentius,” that we, like our parents, may die for the sake of Christ. Neither promises, nor threats, nor torments can make us faithless to Christ.” The Emperor, being unwilling to put his menaces immediately into execution, still endeavored to win over the children, alternately by promises and threats; but finding all unavailing, he ordered seven stakes to be raised in the idolatrous temple, to which the seven valiant confessors of Christ were tied, and tormented in all possible ways. Their limbs were stretched until they were dislocated, and the witnesses of these awful scenes were filled with compassion. The pain must have been most dreadful; but there was not one of these young heroes who did not praise God, and rejoice in his suffering. The tyrant, ashamed of being conquered by children, ordered an end to be made of their torments, which was accordingly done in various ways. Each of her sons suffered a different kind of martyrdom: Crescens was pierced through the throat with a dagger, Julianus was stabbed through the breast with a sword, Nemesius pierced through the heart, Primitivus was wounded at the navel, Justinus was pierced through the back and cut in pieces, Stracteus was shot with arrows and wounded in the side, and Eugenius, the youngest was cleft in two from top to bottom. Their bodies were thrown into a deep ditch from which they were ultimately recovered by the Christian community. Thus gloriously died the seven sons of St. Symphorosa, reminding us of the illustrious martyrdom of the several Machabees, in the reign of the wicked King Antiochus. Getulius’ relics were ultimately moved to Rome, and are in the principal altar of the Church of St. Angelo. In 752, the relics of St. Symphorosa and her seven sons were also transferred to the Church of St. Angelo in Piscina, Rome under the Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IV. In 1587, the relics were enclosed in a marble sarcophagus.
PRAYER: O God, who has granted us the grace to celebrate the birthday of Your blessed martyrs Symphorosa and her sons, grant that we may also share their eternal happiness in heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son who reigns forever and ever ~ Amen🙏
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