When I was growing up, I knew some kids who belonged to St. Camillus parish — but I’d never actually met anyone named Camillus, and never even knew much about this saint.

Now, thanks to this post over at Sed Contra, I do:

Saint Camillus founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick and Poor (the Camellians) whose members took the vow to Devote themselves to material and spiritual care of the sick and needy. The congregation expanded to several countries within a few years and by the time he retired from the generalship of his order in 1607, in order to have more leisure for the poor and sick, there were three hundred members, fifteen houses and eight hospitals.

St. Camillus honored the poor and sick as living images of Christ. His reverence in their presence was as great as if he were really and truly in the presence of his Lord. His devotion and compassion was so great that when he was taking care of people, he seemed to spend and exhaust himself completely. St. Camillus charity was great and all embracing, not only he helped the sick and dying, but every other needy or suffering human being. His charity was not confined to those who came to him; he also went out from city to city looking for people to help. When his disciples suggested that it was enough to help those who came to them, he said: “If no poor could be found in the world, men ought to go in search of them, and dig them up from underground to do them good, and to be merciful to them.” (From a brief biography put up by a house for the homeless that bears his name.)

But that’s just the beginning. Read on for more fascinating details about his life and legacy. And a big tip of the zuchetto to David Morrison at Sed Contra for passing this along.