400 Years of Remembering St. Camillus & Beyond
MATI CITY – The Order of the Ministers of the Infirm (MI) or the Camillian family of priests, brothers and sisters in the PHL and worldwide celebrated the 400 years death anniversary of their founder, St. Camillus de Lellis, on the 14th of July, 2014.
A day before the July 14 national celebration by the Camillian Religious at the St. Camillus Provincialate in Quezon City, the St. Camillus Hospital of Mati community along with the Matinians—priests, religious and lay– marked the 4thdeath centenary and feast day of the patron of the sick by celebrating the Eucharist led by Bishop Patricio H. Alo, D.D. at 5:00PM followed by a short program and dinner that featured serenaders Mel and Ching of the Muzza Band of Mati City, and dance jamming for all led by the hospital staff, including Fr. Marven G. Ruyeras, MI, head of the Personnel Dept. and spiritual adviser of the Lay Camillian associates.
The July 13 event culminated the 9-day novena of Masses offered at the hospital’s Camillian Martyrs Chapel that was presided by different members of the diocesan and religious clergy of the diocese of Mati, and wherein each day’s homily focused on one of the Ten Commandments of St. Camillus, such as: #1- Honor the dignity and sacredness of my person; #3- Remember to forget yourself; #4- Do not take the name of Charity in vain; #7- Do not confine me to a clinical chart and do not hide yourself behind the mask of professionalism; #8- Do not desecrate your heart with the thought of money; #10- Do not hesitate to share my sufferings when you cannot relieve me of my pain, at least share it with me.
Meantime, billboards on the life of St. Camillus and the MI non-stop medical missions, feeding and outreach to depressed areas and the municipalities in the East Coast battered by Super Typhoon Pablo were displayed along the hospital entrance.
Hospital director Fr. Angel Crisostomo, MI and assistant Fr. Marven joined the Manila celebration where they received awards—the St. Camillus 400 yrs. award for the “Lay Camillian Family (LCF) – Mati and CBHCP for their exemplifying motivation, leadership and service to the sick and to those in need as active collaborators of the Ministers of the Infirm Phillipine Province”; an entry to the National Painting Contest by Merchant M. Bongcahig of Lambajon, Baganga, Davao Oriental won a place among 12 jurors’ choice that garnered Php10,000 cash prize and a certificate.
Fr. Gabriel Garcia, MI, chairman of the 400 yrs. committee and Fr. Rolando Fernandez, MI, provincial superior, presented the awards to the awardees nationwide, in the presence of Camillians and other guests from all over the country and Europe.
The awarding was part of a program that featured the life of St. Camillus, a choral presentation rendered by all the Camillian Fathers, interpretative dances, artwork exhibit, gliding balloons with cards attached that added delight to the atmosphere, and touching messages shared by members of the Camillian family that would somehow challenge the MI and those servicing the sick to keep on, with St. Camillus as their inspiration.
Sr. Marietta H. Alo, OND and Olivia T. Jimeno)
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