Vigils Reading – St Charles Borromeo

ST CHARLES BORROMEO

From the writing of Alban Butler7

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Charles was an aristocrat by birth, his father being Count Gilbert Borromeo, himself a man of talent and sanctity. His mother, Margaret, was a Medici, whose younger brother became Pope Pius IV. Charles, the second of two sons in a family of six, was born in the castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore on October 2, 1538. At the age of twelve he received the clerical tonsure, and his uncle, Julius Caesar Borromeo, resigned to him the rich Benedictine monastery of Saints Gratian and Felinus at Arona, which had been long enjoyed by members of his family in commendam…

It was not until after the death of both of his parents that he took his doctor’s degree, in his twenty-second year. He returned to Milan, where he soon received news that his uncle, Cardinal de Medici, was chosen pope in 1559, at the conclave held after the death of Paul IV.

Early in 1560 the new pope created his nephew cardinal-deacon and on February 8 nominated him administrator of the vacant see of Milan. Pius IV, however, detained him at Rome and entrusted him with many duties. In quick succession Charles was named legate of Bologna, Romagna and the March of Ancona, and protector of Portugal, the Low Countries, the Catholic cantons of Switzerland, and the orders of St. Francis, the Carmelites, the Knights of Malta, and others. At this time Charles was not yet twenty-three years old, and only in minor orders. He still found time to look after his family affairs, and took recreation in music and physical exercise. He was a patron of learning, and promoted it among the clergy. For this end he instituted in the Vatican a literary academy of clergy and laymen…

Pope Pius IV had announced soon after his election his intention of reassembling the Council of Trent, which had been suspended in 1551. Charles used all his influence and energy to bring this about, amid the most difficult and adverse ecclesiastical and political conditions. He was successful, and in January 1562 the council was reopened… Several times it nearly broke up with its work unfinished, but Charles’ never-failing attention and his support of the papal legates kept it together, and in nine sessions and numerous meetings for discussion many of the most important dogmatic and disciplinary decrees of the great reforming council were passed. Charles was the mastermind and ruling spirit of the third and last period of the Council of Trent.

During its assembly Count Frederick Borromeo died, and Charles found himself at the head of this noble family. Many took it for granted that he would leave the clerical state and marry. But Charles resigned his family position to his uncle Julius and received the priesthood in 1563. Two months later he was consecrated bishop…

He arrived there in April 1566 and went vigorously to work for the reformation of his diocese. In provincial councils, diocesan synods and by many pastoral instructions he made regulations for the reform of both clergy and laity which have been regarded ever since as a model. He was one of the foremost of the great pastoral theologians who arose in the Church to remedy the disorders engendered by the decay of medieval life. He directed that children in particular should be properly instructed in Christian doctrine…

In 1575 the plague broke out. Charles organized priests of his own clergy to attend the sick. He used his own wealth and that of the church to assist the great number of sick. During 1584 Charles own health deteriorated… On October 29 he started off for Milan, where he arrived on All Souls’ Day. He went straight to bed andasked for the last sacraments, and after receiving them died quietly during the night between November 3 and 4. He was only forty-six years old