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Welcome to the Order of St Camillus Website for the Anglo-Irish Province. The Order, also known as Camillians, has existed for over 400 years since it was founded in Rome by St Camillus in 1582. The Order began as a group of men who followed the example of a young man named Camillus de Lellis. Camillus wanted to assist those who were sick and dying in the hospitals in Rome in a voluntary capacity only for love of the merciful Jesus Christ. He invited other like-minded men to join him. The mandate of the Order is to care for the sick and the dying even with danger to one's own lfe. Camillus would often exhort his followers by quoting the words of Our Lord, 'I was sick and you visited me.' (Matthew 25:36)
Fr Sean Bredin, died Saturday 14 August 2010. RIP
Fr Sean & fellow Camillians, September 1986. Australia
St Joseph's Presbytery, Salvado Rd, Subiaco, W Australia. Sean was Parish Priest here for 5 years.
Obituary to follow in the forthcoming newsletter.
PAKISTAN Let us pray for the people of Pakistan. May the help they require, arrive speedily. Bless all those who are ill or suffering that they may receive your comfort. Amen.
RTE NATIONWIDE BROADCAST THEIR SEGMENT ON THE CAMILLIANS ON MONDAY 9 AUGUST. Did you miss it and want to see it? Click on the following to find it. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0809/nationwide.html
If you would like to post a prayer request on the website, please see in the menu on the left 'The Sick' and follow the instructions. Please pray for all those who have posted requests. God bless you. Fr Stephen
TOP OF PAGE Wednesday July 28 - Fr Stephen Foster - Provincial, Anglo-Irish Province - returns the Heart of St Camillus to our MotherHouse in Rome. The Motherhouse is located in Rome at our church of Maria Maddalena, approximately 50-100 metres forward from the Pantheon. Located in Piazza della Maddalena, forward from Piazza dell Pantheon. The Camillians thank all who visited the Heart while it was in Ireland. You are welcome to visit the Heart and our Church in Rome.
Camillians. Frs Vincent Xavier, Stephen Foster, Nik Houlihan, Jayan Joseph & Arnaldo Pangrazzi with the Heart of St Camillus.
Click here for Heart at the Pro-Cathedral photos
Click here for Killucan photos
Click here for Heart at the Mater photos
Click here for photos collecting the Heart
Click here for Knock photos
There are also photos online at www.irishcatholic.ie and check out the photo gallery
GREAT NEWS The second Indian confrere, Fr Shibin Apparthannattu, arrives at our Uganda Mission on Tuesday 3 August. Thank you Fr Shibin for generously volunteering to help us in our Mission. Let us pray for great success. Praise God.
Fr Shibin Apparthanathu arrives in Uganda Tuesday August 3 to collaborate in our Mission there.Thank you Fr Shibin and WELCOME!
Mass begins at Knock. Camillians left to right- Fr Stephen Foster, Provincial, Fr Vincent Xavier Chaplain, Mater Hospital, Dublin) & Fr Frank Monks, Superior, Killucan
KNOCK SHRINE - MAYO Six thousand visit the Heart in Knock on Saturday July 24.
left to right Pat & John Hume, Harry Gouldsbury & Margaret Sleator
The Heart returned to Rome on Monday July 26.
Killucan photos see below
Most of the Killucan team
The People queue for veneration.
A prayerful and healing atmosphere
Feast of St Camillus 14 July 2010
Camillians left to right, Fr Pat McKenna, Bro. John O'Brien, Bishop Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath & Fr Stephen Foster, Provincial Anglo-Irish Province. on the right, Fr Richard, Parish Priest & Mons. Marren.
not enough room in the chapel for Mass each evening but thank God the weather was good.
FRIDAY 16 JULY- THE HEART WAS TAKEN TO THE PRO CATHEDRAL. 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) ATTENDED MASS TO SAY NOTHING OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE VENERATION OF THE RELIC.
Veneration at the Pro-Cathedral
Hundreds line up at the Pro-Cathedral to venerate the Heart of St Camillus.
St Joseph's Berkeley Rd Dublin 7
Anointing of the Sick
Thursday, 15 July - arrival at the Mater Hospital.
Fr Stephen Foster, Provincial of the Order of St Camillus says the prayer of welcome at the Mater Hopsital Chapel welcoming the heart of St Camillus, Patron Saint of the Sick and those who care for them.
Fr Jayan Joseph (Indian Camillian) venerating the Heart of St Camillus.
Pilgrims at prayer.
Whilst difficult to predict numbers, we estimate at least 3000(three thousand) pilgrims came to venerate the Relic and participate in Mass on Sunday 11th at St Camillus Nursing Centre, Killucan; the beginning of the Triduum. Monday 12th July we estimate at least 5000(five thousand) attended. Tuesday 13th July saw at least 7000(seven thousand) come to Killucan to venerate the Heart and celebrate the Mass. wednesday 14th July saw approximately 9000(nine thousand) at Killucan. Thursday morning saw the Heart leave Killucan for Dublin and huge numbers turned out for the Mass at St Joseph's Berkeley Rd. There was also a big turn out at the Mater Hospital. God bless you all.
THE HEART OF ST CAMILLUS VISIT TO IRELAND JULY 2010
CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAMILLIANS' ARRIVAL IN IRELAND - CARING FOR THE SICK.
WE PRAY FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE SICK OR SUFFERING IN ANY WAY.
WE PRAY FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE VISIT &
WE PRAY FOR ALL WHO VISIT THE RELIC.
'I was sick and you visited me.'(Matthew 25:36)
WESTMEATH DUBLIN KNOCK
'Because of such extraordinary love, those who witnessed it were convinced that St. Camillus’ heart should bear a visible mark of it; that is why, after his death they wanted to look at his heart. An eye-witness maintained that “the heart was so beautiful it looked like a ruby, and it was so big to leave people astonished. Providence was in favour of the Saint and of his Sons, making the heart remain uncorrupted and so it is still nowadays, for the admiration and devotion of his faithful” ' (M. Vanti, lo Spirito di San Camillo, 1986, V edizione, pg. 379-380).
The Heart arrived in Ireland on Friday July 9, 2010 and is taken to Killucan to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Order's beginnings in Ireland.
ST CAMILLUS KILLUCAN CO. WESTMEATH
Travelling from Dublin, the turnoff for Killucan is approximately 4 miles after Kinnegad on the old Mullingar Rd. Drive through the picturesque town of Kinnegad and continue out on the old Mullingar Rd and you will see the sign for Killucan after approximately 4 miles. Turn right at this sign and follow the road in for approximately 2 miles. St Camillus is on your left.
MATER HOSPITAL DUBLIN
ST JOSEPH'S BERKELEY RD DUBLIN 7
The Church is located 50 metres in front of the Mater Hospital.
PRO CATHEDRAL DUBLIN
God bless you all. Fr Stephen
Some of the Camillians preparing for the arrival of the Heart of St Camillus.
Frs John Vincent Stephen & Jayan
St Camillus. Patron Saint of the Sick & those who care for them.
Read here an account of St Camillus' conversion from violence and addiction.
Camillus as a young man – a man of violence and an addict.
‘In 1567(at this time he was 17) he went to Francavilla a Mare in order to be enlisted in the army of the Venetians but in vain. Some years later, in 1570, he tried again; this time he was accompanied by his father who became seriously ill and died at Saint Elpidio by the sea (Ascoli Piceno).
Meanwhile he contracted a small sore on his right foot preceded by a small blister to the left above the malleolus. That small sore, which when rubbed turned red and bled, became a wound for which no cure was available and because of this Camillus suffered very much during his whole life, without any doctor succeeding in giving an exact diagnosis. Moreover, he was also struck by a slight persistent fever that made him very weak. At Fermo, two Franciscan Friars with their modest and recollected gait, attracted his attention. A desire or fancy grew within him to imitate them and he vowed to become a Franciscan. For this reason he went to Aquila, where a maternal uncle, Fr Paolo da Loreto Aprutino, was a guardian of Saint Bernadine Monastery and asked for the religious habit. After some days of reflection and counselling by his uncle, Camillus gave up the idea and went to Rome for treatment in the main hospital of St Giacomo (St James). He stayed there from March 7 to December 31, 1571, first as a patient and then from April 1 as a hospital attendant. Being “terribly hard-headed” he was always arguing with his superiors and his companions; having lost interest in the patients, he dropped his commitments as a hospital attendant “so as to be able to play cards to which he was always inclined and he would go along the river banks of the Tiber to play with the barcaroles of Ripetta”. He was dismissed and having enrolled in the army of Venice, he took part in the campaign against the Turks. In 1573 and 1574 he was a soldier of the Spanish army. In this entire period, he was a typically adventurous soldier of the 16th century. “Big, strong limbed, violent, he played with his life, so as to be able to play with money in the taverns, on the wine-filled tables, or in the encampments over inverted drums.”
He challenged one of his companions at arms to a duel, suffered a fever and dysentery and his life was in danger many times; but most of all, he gambled and lost so much that he was left in great misery. In his hardest moments, he would run to God, renewing his vow to become a Friar as happened on October 28, 1574 during a storm at sea while travelling from Palermo to Naples.
Towards the end of 1574, he had to beg for alms in Manfredonia; finally, he found a job in a Capuchin monastery as a helper, with the task of providing stones and cement for the construction of the monastery.
February 2, 1575, Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, marked his conversion, bringing a total change of his life and the start of his dedication to the service of the Lord. When he went to Saint Giovanni Rotondo on the vigil of the feast to bring provisions for the Friars of that monastery he had a deep religious conversation with the Father Guardian, Fr Angelo. The next morning, on his way back to Manfredonia, immersed in the thoughts inculcated by the good Capuchin, he felt deeply and intimately transformed. Prostrated on the ground by the wayside, he professed and implored loudly: “Miserable and unhappy me, who for such a long time ignored you, my God and did not love you. Give me time to do penance and to weep for a long time for my sins. Not anymore the world, not anymore the world for me.” He even promised to be a Capuchin.
He entered the Order and put on the habit but was dismissed after a few months of novitiate for the worsening of his sore on his foot. He returned to S. Giacomo (Hospital in Rome) to be cured where he stayed on from 23 October 1575 to 20 June 1579 with common edification, curing and assisting the sick under the spiritual guidance of Saint Philip Neri.
In 1579, believing he was cured, he wanted to return to the Capuchins at Tagliacozzo, with the name Friar Christopher and resumed his religious life. But soon after, the wound reopened and he was inevitably dismissed...................’
(Sannazzaro Pietro, Camillian Order 1550-1699 A History, pp62-64, English translation)
The Statue underneath the portrait of the young St Camillus caring for the Sick.
Statue of St Camillus arrives from Italy for Killucan Parish
For the new Provincials of the Order see www.camilliani.org
see below for our Easter newsletter
Newsletter Easter 2010
FR JOHNSON VELLACHIRA, FIRST INDIAN CAMILLIAN COLLABORATOR IN OUR MISSION IN UGANDA ARRIVES AT OUR HOUSE IN JINJA, Feast of St Joseph, 2010.
He is welcomed by the Provincial Fr Stephen alongwith Fr Tom O'Connor and Fr Tom Smith. Fr Mathew Perumpil, Vice-Provincial of India accompanied Fr Johnson to Uganda in order to hold a series of meetings to plan well for our future together. See Our Mission
HAITI
EASTER GREETINGS
«Lorsque nous nous identifions au Maître, notre vie se meut sous l'impulsion de l'amour et au service des autres. Cet amour implique de choisir continuellement et de discerner pour suivre le chemin des Béatitudes. Ne craignons pas la croix que suppose la fidélité au Christ, elle est éclairée par la lumière de la Résurrection. C'est ainsi que, comme disciples, nous ouvrons des chemins de vie et d'espérance pour nos peuples souffrant du péché et de toute forme d'injustice.
L’appel à être disciples missionnaires exige de notre part de faire le choix clair de Jésus et de son Evangile, de vivre en cohérence avec notre foi, d’incarner les valeurs du Royaume, d’être insérés dans la communauté et d’être de signes de contradiction et de nouveauté dans un monde qui met en avant la consommation et défigure les valeurs qui confèrent sa dignité à l ;être humain. Dans un monde qui se ferme au Dieu d’amour, soyons une communauté d’amour, non pas du monde mais dans le monde e pour le monde» (Aparecida)
Bro. Camillus - James McHugh - stopped over in Dublin, Palm Sunday weekend for a Provincial Council meeting.
Fr James Wanjau, Provincial Delegate from Kenya visited us in March.
Humanisation of
More later.
CHILE We have heard from the Camillians in Chile that all are alive and well thank God. It is with regret that we hear almost 500 people have lost their lives and many are still unaccounted for. We pray for all the injured, the survivors and all who have sadly lost their lives. Anyone who wishes to make a donation, please send it to Fr Frank Monks, MI, St Camillus, Killucan Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
UGANDA We pray also for all those who have lost their lives in Uganda in the landslide. At least 80 are feared dead. We pray for the survivors and for those who may be trapped. Anyone who wishes to make a donation, please see above.
Fr Tom O'Connor from Uganda has just sent us the February news. See Our Mission.
HAITI
We pray for all those who have lost their lives in this terrible disaster. We pray for injured and critically ill. The Camillians have sent a Task Force. They arrived in Haiti on Saturday January 23. One of the Task Force is Anita Ennis from our own Camillain Lay Family here in Killucan, Ireland. Please click on Killucan in the menu column for more updates or on the link below. Anyone who wishes to make a donation for disaster relief please send it to Fr Frank Monks, MI, St Camillus, Killucan Co. Westmeath. The Camillians in Ireland and the rest of our Province have sent a financial contribution to our administration office in Rome.
Thank you to all who have helped through your prayers and financial assistance. Fr Stephen, Provincial
All our Camillian confreres in Haiti are safe and well thank God.
See below for a little good news from Haiti.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BROTHERS ROBERT AND VERNA, TWO OF OUR HAITIAN CAMILLIANS WHO WERE ORDAINED DEACONS - 11 FEBRUARY, WORLD DAY OF THE SICK - OUR LADY OF LOURDES, IN PORT-AU-PRINCE
Click here for more information and images
KENYA
See below an account of the Provincial's visit to Kenya. He arrived Thursday morning - 21 January after a long flight. He was there to meet our Ugandan students who are members of the Anglo-Irish Province. They are training for the priesthood under the guidance of our Kenyan and Tanzanian confreres. So here we have 44 Camillian students all training to become Camillians. The three nationalities of this part of East Africa are represented. The Kenyans are members of the Lombard Venetian Province while the Tanzanian students are members of the German Province. Fr Stephen follows in the steps of other members of the Province who have been to Kenya, Fr Frank Monks, Fr Tom O'Connor and two men who lived here for many years, Bro. Gabriel Brady and Bro. Camilllus McHugh.
Camillian Frs Stephen & Hubert with our Kenyan Sisters.
This photo includes Sr Catherine, Superior of the Community in Nairobi.
Fr Stephen met some of the students on Friday 22 January.
Above the Camillian philosophy students. They come from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Above - with Fr Stephen
Above Saturday morning 23 January, Fr Stephen with the theological students and novices
Above our 5 Ugandan student members of the Anglo-Irish Province
left to right
Acheleo Bisoborwa, Joseph Okot Bitek, Boniface Walusimbi, Richard Lubaale, Brian Musenze Jr.
ABOVE with Fr Stephen
TABAKA
Thursday 28 January, the Provincial Fr Stephen in Tabaka Mission Hospital. This is where Bro. Gabriel and Bro. Camillus worked for many years.
above Fr Raphael Wanjau, superior of Tabaka with Fr Stephen.
KURUNGU
Friday 29 January sees the Provincial Fr Stephen at the Camillian Hospital in Kurungu. He was due to leave here tomorrow to go to Jinja but now must first go back to Tabaka as Fr James, who is in Tabaka at present, is having motor vehicle problems. So, it's back to Tabaka on Saturday morning and then off to Jinja in Uganda.
above - A new ward being painted for the Camillian hospital in Kurungu. Photo taken by Fr Stephen as he is shown around the hospital by Fr Emilio Balliana, MI, Superior of the Community and Diector of the hospital.
inside the front gate of Kurungu hospital.
The children's wards. All the children have HIV Aids. There are sixty places for the children.
Look out for photos of the two Frs Tom.
UGANDA
FR TOM SMITH, 31 JANUARY, 2010
FR TOM OCONNOR, SUNDAY JANUARY 31, 2010
see Our Mission menu item
read here the Provincial's account
I arrived in Nairobi on Thursday morning the 21st January at 09:15 quite wrecked. The air traffic controllers dispute in Dublin conspired to put an extra number of hours on the schedule that were definitely not wanted as well two last minute changes of flights because of their sudden industrial action. I was collected at Nairobi airport by Fr Richard who had only been ordained the previous month. At the coffee break that morning I met the Delegation Council who were meeting that morning.
I was taken by Fr Hubert, (Tanzanian Camillian) the following morning to the Karen Blixen museum. I must say I had never heard of her and didn’t learn much of her as we could not enter the museum as neither of us had any money. Well, he none and me, not the right kind. We then proceeded to meet the sisters of St Camillus who gave us a hearty welcome and a nice cup of coffee. They regaled us with many tales about Brother Camillus whom they all love and were very disappointed that he did not travel with me as had been expected by them.
My first official assignment was in the afternoon to give a talk to the philosophers as they are called. I stayed for an hour and spoke to them about the Camillian charism and St Camillus. That evening we had Mass for all on campus followed by supper together. Normally the philosophers and theologians (as the theological students are named) have separate routines. Saturday began with morning prayer and Mass for the theologians followed by a talk at 9am. At 11:30 I was delighted to meet ‘our students’, i.e. the Ugandan students who belong to our Province. Richard, whom many of you know, is in his final year of theology which he will complete in May. He then begins his Pastoral Year after the summer break and he will be due later this year for Solemn Profession with ordination to the diaconate shortly after. He will be ordained a priest please god in the summer of next year. Boniface is in 2nd year philosophy and will be due for novitiate in September next year. The other three students, Brian, Joseph and Acheleo are all doing their first year of philosophy and would be due for novitiate in September 2012. Here they study three years of philosophy. So I was happy to meet them and bring the Province’s greetings to them. Later in the afternoon I met Richard privately and also Boni (Boniface). After meeting Boniface I was taken by Fr Hubert to Bolech House in the city where the other Nairobi community resides. Before that he took me to the Basilica. Most impressive. At the community I met Fr John Misoto, an old friend of Camillus, Brother Albano, who was passing through from Tabaka and Brother Moses, one of the students in his pastoral year. They told me Bro. Gabriel lived here for 5 years.
Sunday morning saw me being interviewed by Fr Richard for the Kenyan newsletter. Fr Richard is the Vocation promoter. He was assisted by Brother Stephen, who told me he wants to come to Ireland to do CPE. After this Fr James Wanjau, Provincial Delegate accompanied me to 11:00 am Mass in the parish. It was a most colourful and joyous affair. The women were full of bright colours and the singing was heavenly. That afternoon saw me leave for Nkubu with Fr Richard and Patrick, an I.T. technician from Tabaka. This was a long journey but it gave me the opportunity to view the beautiful Kenyan countryside. We also stopped on the way to meet a vocation candidate, Joseph, who has been accepted for the March to June orientation course. We met his mother and family who gave us tea. We also met, by accident or providence, the local Bishop of Embu, Paul kariuki. He was young, only 47 and only ordained in 1993. 16 years a priest and then made Bishop. We didn’t arrive in Nkubu until 8:45 pm where I was dropped off as the other two had to journey on to meet another vocation candidate whose family had agreed to put them up for the night. I wouldn’t have thought there would have been room.
The next morning began at 6 when I awoke for the 6:30 Mass. I celebrated and the administrator, Fr Joseph Prosepio, known to some of you, concelebrated. It was a lovely Mass with beautiful singing. I just could not imagine the same in Ireland at 6:30 in the morning but one never knows. I met 3 Indian Sisters after Mass who are working in the hospital. One is a doctor. She told me the hospital would really benefit if they could secure the services of an orthopaedic doctor. After breakfast I toured the hospital with Fr Joseph and left after lunch with Richard and Patrick who had arrived by then and we headed back to Nairobi.
Tuesday was a free and easy day in Nairobi.
WEDNESDAY 27 January
Up at 6. Left at 6:35 with James to go the Sisters for Mass. A lovely Mass was followed by breakfast. We headed back to the seminary and then left on our journey at 9:45. We stopped for lunch at some barbecue place near Nukuru. Then we headed on and stopped at the tea hotel at 3:30 at Karicho. After tea we headed on our journey arriving eventually at Tabaka at 6:00pm.
Then we had prayer at 6:45 followed by 30 minutes of meditation. Supper afterwards with the community and hospital doctors.
THURSDAY
In the afternoon I left with Brother Albano for Kurungu. About two hours journey, but a terrible road. Thank God I would not see this road again. Little did I know.
I arrived quite battered at 4:45 after such a bumpy journey and took two panadol and a coca cola. Dinner at 8 with all the gang. The Camillian Community and Hospital in Kurungu is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and it really was quite beautiful.
FRIDAY
Fr Emilio Balliana, Superior and Director of the Hospital showed me around the complex. It’s quite built up. I also learned that the following day instead of heading for Jinja in Uganda asoriginally planned, I now had to go back to Tabaka, before proceeding to Jinja. This was because James was having problems with his vehicle and thought it better to stay in Tabaka and get it checked.
SATURDAY 30 JANUARY
I left at 6 am from Kurungu and travelled to Tabaka with Boniface our driver, Angie and Kayla, two volunteers from overseas who were helping the Camillians in Kurungu. We arrived at Tabaka at 8:10. We had coffee and left at 9 for Kisii. We bought car oil and then went to visit the local parish priest. At about 1045 we departed for Uganda. This was a long journey. We stopped off twice for breaks and did not arrive in Jinja that night until 11pm. We crossed the border from Kenya to Uganda at Malaba and what a nightmare this was for tired travellers. Incompetence and beuracracy were the name of the game at this checkpoint and bribery was welcomed. It took us 90 minutes to cross the border. If there’s a next time it will be by plane.
SUNDAY 31 January 2010
At 9 30 I met Michael, a vocation candidate who has been accepted for our orientation programme in Nairobi beginning in March. At 10am I met Stephen, the second vocation candidate who will accompany him and they will be the two Ugandans out of the ten postulants accepted for the programme.
Mass at 11 was celebrated for us by Fr James. After Mass Stephen and Michael left for Kampala. The four of us, Tom O’Connor, Tom Smith, Fr James and I headed for lunch outside by the lake. It was a beautiful setting.
MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY
I checked my email for a printout at the Jinja Philosophicum. That afternoon, I met a number of people who wished our Province to consider a health care project proposal.
Tuesday 2 February
Spent the morning with the two Frs Tom and then headed for Kampala in the afternoon with Tom Smith. As a result of the evening rush hour in Kampala it took us approximately 4 hours to arrive at our destination a few kilometres short of Entebbe airport where we had an evening meal.
I left Uganda shortly after midnight.
Fr Stephen Foster, MI
More later
Our website, whilst now live is still very much a project in beginning and we hope to add more and more to it with the passage of time.
Launched on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception,
8 December, 2009.
Prayer for today.
'He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were under the power of the Devil, for God was with him.' Acts of the Apostles 10:38
Please click on our menu items to learn more about our Order and our way of life.
Fr Stephen Foster pushes the button to launch the website.
Below
The original team who designed the layout.
left to right back row
Fr Vincent Xavier, Fr Martin Geraghty, Ms Margaret Sleator, Ms Myriam Massabo
at the front
Fr Stephen Foster & Fr John Philip
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