4 November
Monument
Position: bishop
Death: 1584
Patron of: Borromeo; bishops; spiritual advisors; catechists; the sick; priestly seminaries; Diocese of Lugano
Invoked against: plague; digestive diseases
Attributes: cardinal’s clothing; Eucharist; sick; rope around the neck; cross; skull; prominent curved nose
Biography:
He came from a critical Lombard family. He studied law, and after his uncle became Pope Pius IV, he called him to Rome. There, at the age of 21, he made him his secretary and appointed him cardinal-deacon. After three years, he received priestly and episcopal ordination. He played a key role in completing the Tridentine Council and implementing its reforms. At the age of 25, he became archbishop of Milan. He led an ascetic, determined, and selfless life. He convened synods and held pastoral visitations, during which he showed interest in everyone. He revived the spiritual life of the diocese and took extraordinary care of the poor and sick, especially during plagues, without contracting the disease himself. He died exhausted at the age of 46.
BIOGRAPHY FOR MEDITATION
A REFORMER WHO STARTED WITH HIMSELF
He was born on the 2^(nd. 10. October 1538 in the castle above the town of Arona, on the southwestern bank of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. He was the second son of Count Gilbert and Margaret of Medici.
At the age of seven, at his father’s request, the Archbishop of Milan accepted him into the clerical order, and at 12 he was given his first benefice — the permanent right to the office of abbot, from which his pension, known as a ‘brow’, immediately flowed. However, Charles declared that he would donate the benefice to the poor.
At that time, he was studying Latin in Milan, which his father had sent him to after his mother’s death. She died when he was nine. In 1552, aged 14, he began studying law at the University of Pavia, although he was expected to study theology. In August 1558, his father died and was buried in Milan. Charles devoted himself to his studies with great care, but had to interrupt them more than once due to exhaustion. He finished on the 6th. 12. 1559, obtaining a doctorate in both civil and ecclesiastical law with excellent results. That same year, his maternal uncle, Pope Pius IV, summoned him and his older brother, Federico, to Rome. He appointed Federico commander of the papal army and entrusted him with statesmanship. Karl was appointed on the 31^(st). Cardinal and Deacon of Santa Prassede, as well as Administrator of the Archbishopric of Milan, with the duty to remain in Rome, where he held the position of Secretary. At the same time, he became involved in the most crucial church matters. Karl proved himself to be exceptional, excelling in perseverance and modesty. He contributed to the reconvening of the interrupted Council of Trent in January 1562, as well as to the prompt approval and implementation of the Pope’s council decisions within the Church. The importance of bringing the council to a conclusion is better understood when considering its duration: it lasted 18 years, interrupted by the 13th. 12. 1545 to 4. 1563. In November 1562, Charles was affected by the death of his brother Federico, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his life. He decided to receive the sacrament of the priesthood, conscientiously preparing for it the following year with spiritual exercises under the guidance of Fr. Ribera (TJ), who remained his spiritual leader. It is said that he received the sacrament in private on 4 December 9 1563. In the same year, on 7 July, he was ordained a bishop in the Sistine Chapel and was subsequently appointed Archbishop of Milan on 23. On January 3, 1564, he received the pallium, and in June, he was appointed to the titular church of Santa Prassede. The Pope allowed him to leave Rome to fulfill his duties in the Curia until January 1st. 9. 1565 and 23rd September. A ceremonial inauguration took place on 9 September 1565 for the archbishopric in Milan.
Cardinal Archbishop Charles Borromeo, acting as papal legate, had the authority to hold episcopal synods. The first was immediately convened at his request. Borromeo appointed Ormaneto vicar general soon after becoming archbishop, preventing him from going to his diocese, and entrusted him with establishing a seminary.
Archbishop Card. Charles reportedly had fifteen bishoprics in Lombardy, Liguria, and Piedmont in his ecclesiastical province. The archdiocese comprised over 750 parishes, with more than 2,000 diocesan priests, 1,200 religious priests, 1,000 religious brothers, and 3,400 nuns. There were also 886 religious associations and 740 catechetical schools. Furthermore, 24 charity centers assisted more than 100,000 of the poor, 16 shelters for those in the greatest need, and homes for abandoned and fallen women, helping them to lead better lives. These data concern the tenure of Cardinal Karl. Karl are included in the time period of his tenure, during which they changed somewhat.
Before O. Kard. He became acquainted with the state of his diocese, but was then called back to Rome to be with the seriously ill Pope. The pope died in his presence on the 9th. 12. 1565. Charles was only able to return to Milan after the election of Pope Pius V and the settlement of necessary matters in Rome. According to some records, this occurred on 5 April 1566, after which he immediately began implementing reforms. While familiarising himself with the diocese, he witnessed desolate churches and a decline in faith and morals among the people, as well as some of the clergy. It was clear that Milan had been without a bishop for 80 years.
Cardinal Charles Borromeo tirelessly won the trust of the people. He began to reduce the size of his residence. He allegedly obtained 30,000 thalers by selling expensive cutlery and other equipment, which he gave to needy families. He began by making a visitation of the diocese. He established a seminary and entrusted its administration to the Jesuits. He reformed the organization of the pastoral ministry by dividing the archbishopric into twelve districts: six in the city and six in the countryside. He abolished some redundant parishes and established new ones. At the same time, he took care of all church facilities, such as schools, associations, and charity centers, to ensure they fulfilled their purpose as effectively as possible, and established new ones. He undertook visitation trips on foot or on horseback more than once, visiting parishes in distant Alpine valleys. He took an interest in the order of baptisms and marriages, and the deposition of unworthy priests, as well as the recovery of believers who had converted to Protestantism.
He preached from the pulpit every Sunday and on public holidays. He had to overcome a speech impediment he had had since childhood. Even when his father sent him to Milan as a child, some believed that this defect was related to his speech impediment. Nevertheless, he is considered one of the greatest preachers of the 16^(th century. He also preached during Masses at St. Peter’s, which he celebrated during his visits, and administered the Blessed Sacrament. He had an extraordinary respect for her, which he encouraged others to share.
Among other things, Archbishop Card. Charles Borromeo reformed the nunneries and convened six diocesan assemblies. He was particularly concerned with implementing the Tridentine reform. Those against this reform included the Humiliati from the monastery in Brera, a semi-religious organization that was abolished in 1571. Four of them were involved in a plot to assassinate the archbishop. On 10 November 1569, they attempted to assassinate Archbishop Borromeo in the archbishop’s chapel. From this group, Girolamo Farina Donati shot at him from behind while dressed as a layman during prayers. Although the bullet penetrated the archbishop’s clothes, he was not injured.
Under Pope Gregory XIII, who declared the Holy Year of 1575, Cardinal Charles Borromeo is said to have canceled all Vatican expenses for the carnival, dedicating the saved money to the hospital for pilgrims instead. Four years later, he quarreled with the governor over the carnival in Milan because he was promoting it even during Lent. The dispute was also brought before the Pope and King Philip II. (to whom the Duchy of Milan was subject). Both agreed with Borromeo.
In August 1576, while the archbishop was away on visits, an epidemic of plague broke out in Milan. While the governor and other high officials fled the city, the archbishop hastily returned upon learning of the calamity to help the victims. Without fear of contagion, he administered the sacraments, comforted the victims, and sought assistance from various sources. He also had a hospital hastily built and provided everything necessary. The epidemic claimed 18,000 lives in Milan. However, despite the long-term strain of constant contact with the sick, Cardinal Borromeo did not contract the disease.
He saw the epidemic as a warning and took it more seriously. Although he had led a fairly ascetic life before, from 1577 onwards, except during holidays, he was said to eat only once a day: bread, water, fruit, and vegetables. He continued his pastoral mission zealously. In 1580, during a visit to Brescia, he stopped about 30 km from Castiglione delle Stiviere to prepare for the first reception of the Eucharist by the twelve-year-old Alois Gonzaga (memorial day 21 June).
Cardinal Karel Boromejský celebrated the occasion on 10th November 1584, when he was 46 years old. The effects of many years of hard work were already evident in his health, although he did not outwardly show it, and he felt that his time on earth was coming to a close. From 20th October, he was at Sacro Monte di Varallo. On the 10th, he held exhaustive spiritual exercises, and on the 28th… He still traveled to Ascona, Switzerland, on the 10th for the opening of the new college. Only then did he return to Milan. Due to health problems, he stayed in a monastery in Arona, after which he visited the church in his hometown. On the 11th, he celebrated his final Mass. He traveled to Naples by boat and died on the evening of 3 November, surrendering to God’s will.
At the funeral, 7. On the 11th, great multitudes of those he had served came to say goodbye to him. Many believers went to his grave bearing gifts. During the preparation of the canonization process, his coffin was opened in the presence of two bishops on 3 March 1606, and his body was found to be intact. After temporary storage, on March 3, 1607, it was placed in the original coffin and returned to its original place.
He was beatified in 1602 by Pope Clement VIII and canonized on 1 November 1610 by Pope Paul V.
RESOLUTION, PRAYER
Hello. And Bye.