Charles Borromeo

Saint Charles Borromeo

Also known as
Apostle to the Council of Trent
Carlo Borromeo
Father of the Clergy
The Saint with the big nose

Memorial
4 November

Profile
Our saint today was born to a wealthy, noble family, the third of six children, of a count. Probably because he wasn’t the oldest, or the best looking (he had the proboscis of an anteater) of his siblings, and add to that he suffered with a speech impediment. His family pushed him to the Church. He was educated as a civil and canon lawyer by the age of 21.

He was made a Cardinal before being ordained a priest at age 22 his political and familial ties had absolutely nothing to do with this appointment either (wink). He was ordained a Priest in July of 1563. With the grand experience as a priest for five months he was made bishop of Milan December 1563…nice.

Remember the Papal States were a Country unto themselves with the Pope as the monarch. Vatican City is the last vestige of this today. Charles was apostolic administrator, which is essentially the Governor, of Milan, and various other papal states.

Charlie was instrumental in re-opening the Council of Trent, and participated in its sessions during 1562 and 1563. He worked to reform the Catechism, breviary and missal. As Cardinal, he participated in the conclaves that chose Pope Pius V and Pope Gregory XIII.

Because of his rapid rise in the Church or because some disgruntled monks did not like his enforcement of strict ecclesiastical discipline, the Order of the Humiliati hired a lay brother to murder him on the evening of 26 October 1569; he was shot at, but was not hit. It’s stuff like this that the Catholic Church critics love to hear isn’t it?

All cynicism aside, Saint Charles spent his life and fortune in the service of the people of his diocese. He actually worked with the sick, and helped bury the dead during the plague outbreak in Milan. He directed and fervently enforced the decrees of the Council of Trent, fought tirelessly for peace in the wake of the storm caused by the flatulent Martin Luther, founded schools for the poor, seminaries for clerics, hospitals for the sick, conducted synods, instituted children’s Sunday school, did great public and private penance, and worked among the sick and dying, leading his people by example. He died of a fever in 1584, his will named a hospital as his heir. He was initially buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Milan, but in 1751 his relics were transferred to a chapel built specially for him by Count Renato Borromeo (a rich relative).

Born
2 October 1538
Died
1584

Patronage
against abdominal pain
against colic
against intestinal disorders
against stomach diseases
against ulcers
apple orchards
bishops
catechists
catechumens
seminarians
spiritual directors
spiritual leaders
starch makers

Representation
cardinal wearing a cord around his neck; it symbolizes the cord or halter worn around his neck during the plague of Milan, Italy in 1575
bishop wearing a cord around his neck
cleric curing the sick