Good-bye, Cheerful Brother Camillus!

The presence of Brother Camillus in Kenya was not so long, but in spite of that his
remembrance is still lively. He came to Kenya in 1987 and was assigned to Tabaka
Mission Hospital as a nurse, but he did not stay there much time because his
extrovert character made him to ask to go to Nairobi where he could come in
contact with more people.

He was assigned to the community of Bolech House/Caledonia, namely to the
residence of St. Camillus Seminary, in Langata, where he worked as the bursar of
the seminary and as vocation promoter. His presence in the formation team was
relevant, particularly from the moral and spiritual aspect, because he was the
elder of the group. For the young seminarians he was really the Mzee (elder in
Swahili language), which is an essential figure in the African culture. In fact he was
an example of wisdom, gentleness and goodness. Punctual in prayer, respectful of
community life, Br. Camillus was cheerful in dealing with people, willing to chat
and familiarize with everybody. His main duty was to reply to the letters that the
prospective seminarians wrote to him, asking to be accepted in our formation
house. In his answers he was always open, optimistic, ready to welcome young
men in the seminary in good number. I think his innate goodness and warmness
of character have drawn young Kenyan to join Camillians more than many words
or vocational meetings. His presence, particularly when he wore the Camillian
white habit, was attractive and appealing, therefore he was always the prima
donna in the “come and see” encounters with the prospective seminarians.
If I have to describe in few words Camillus’ temperament, I would say that he was
a cheerful and gentle person, a happy Camillian! In the years I shared with him in
the seminary I never saw him sad or angry. On the contrary, the arrival of Camillus
on the scene, was it at table, or in the course of a discussion, or in a spiritual
gathering brought a note of joy and relaxation.

Unforgettable were the times spent with him over a cup of tea, particularly in the
evening after the students had retired to their rooms. He used to remember with
a lot of details the time he spent in England (where once he had the chance to
take tea with the Queen!), in Australia, in Italy and of course in Ireland. He was
proud to describe how he was choosing nice places for relaxation, how he knew,
in nursing to elderly, to take care of old ladies who would – at their last departure
– leave some of their goods to the Church. Camillus was well known by the
religious houses around the seminary since on his way back from Karen – a small
town in the outskirt of Nairobi – where he went to buy food supply and collect the
post (e-mail was not yet born at that time) he used to stop at this or that religious
house and chat with the in-dwellers of which many were Europeans.
When purchasing food he never missed to buy butter because, as a true Irishman,
he was keen of it. One day I got the gut to tell him: “Camillus, are you not
exaggerating in spreading all that butter on your slice of bread; it will make your
cholesterol go too high”. “No problem about that, Paul – he answered – my mum
used to eat kilos of butter and lived up to 87 years. Our bodies are accustomed to
such diet”. Now I have to admit he was right. In fact, in spite of that “weakness”
he reached 97!

Apart from such colorful and worldly aspects of his life, Brother Camillus was a
man of prayer, a good religious faithful to his duties, a lover of life but especially a
lover of God, of Mary and of St. Camillus. I am sure the young Kenyan seminarians
– me included, since at that time I was young – got a lot of inspiration from his
jovial, gentle and generous behavior. I am sure he will continue to entertain
people, up there, through his remarkable sense of humor.

Paolo Guarise