
Also
known as Apostle to the Council of Trent, Carlo Borromeo ,Father of the Clergy
Memorial 4 November formerly 5 November Profile
Born to a wealthy, noble family, the third of six children, son of Count Giberto
II Borromeo and Margherita de' Medici. Nephew of Pope Pius IV. Suffered with a
speech impediment. Studied in Milan, and at the University of Pavia, studying
at one point under the future Pope Gregory XIII. Civil and canon lawyer at age
21. Cleric at Milan, taking the habit on 13 October 1547. Abbot commendatario
of San Felino e San Graziano abbey in Arona, on 20 November 1547. Abbot commendatario
of San Silano di Romagnano abbey on 10 May 1558. Prior commendatario of San Maria
di Calvenzano abbey on 8 December 1558. Protonotary apostolic participantium and
referendary of the papal court to Pope Pius IV on 13 January 1560. Member of the
counsulta for the administration of the Papal States on 22 January 1560. Appointed
abbot commendatario of Nonatola, San Gallo di Moggio, Serravalle della Follina,
San Stefano del Corno, an abbey in Portugal, and an abbey in Flanders on 27 January
1560. Created cardinal on 31 January 1560 at 22. Apostolic administrator of Milan,
Italy on 8 February 1560. Papal legate to Bologna and Romandiola for two years
beginning on 26 April 1560. Deacon on 21 December 1560. Vatican Secretary of State.
Governor of Civita Castellana in 1561. Governor of Ancona on 1 June 1561. Made
an honorary citizen of Rome on 1 July 1561. Founded the Accademia Vaticana in
1562. Governor of Spoleto, Italy on 1 December 1562. Ordained on 4 September 1563.
Helped re-open the Council of Trent, and participated in its sessions during 1562
and 1563. Named prince of Orta in 1563. Member of the Congregation of the Holy
Office. Bishop of Milan on 7 December 1563. President of the commission of theologians
charged by the pope to elaborate the Catechismus Romanus. Worked on the revision
of the Missal and Breviary. Member of a commission to reform church music. Archbishop
of Milan on 12 May 1564. Governor of Terracina on 3 June 1564. Archpriest of the
patriarchal Liberian basilica in Rome in October 1564. Count of the Palatine in
1564. Prefect of the Tridentine Council from 1564 until September 1565. Papal
legate in Bologna, Romandiola, legate a latere, and vicar general in spiritualibus
of all Italy on 17 August 1565. Grand penitentiary on 7 November 1565. Participated
in the conclave of cardinals in 1565 to 1566 that chose Pope Pius V; he asked
the new pope to take the name. Protector of the Swiss Catholic cantons; he visited
them all several times worked for the spiritual reform of both clergy and laymen.
Due to his enforcement of strict ecclesiastical discipline, some disgruntled monks
in 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. Participated in the conclave
in 1572 that chose Pope Gregory XIII. Member of the Apostolic Penitentiary in
May 1572. Worked with the sick, and helped bury the dead during the plague outbreak
in Milan in 1576. Established the Oblates of Saint Ambrose on 26 April 1578. Teacher,
confessor and parish priest to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, giving him his first communion
on 22 July 1580. To help the Swiss Catholics he founded the Collegium Helveticum.
Saint Charles spent his life and fortune in the service of the people of his diocese.
He directed and fervently enforced the decrees of the Council of Trent, fought
tirelessly for peace in the wake of the storm caused by 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. Born
morning of Wednesday 2 October 1538 in the castle at Aron, diocese of Novara,
Italy Died 3 November 1584 at 8:30pm of a fever at Milan,
Italy his will named the Hospital Maggiore of Milan as his heir buried in the
metropolitan cathedral of Milan relics transferred to a chapel built by Count
Renato Borromeo in piazza San Maria Podone, Milan on 21 September 1751 Beatified
1602 by Pope Clement VIII Canonized 1 November 1610 by Pope Paul V Name
Meaning strong; manly (= Charles) Patronage against
colic ,against stomach diseases, against ulcers, apple orchards, bishops ,catechists
,catechumens ,intestinal disorders ,Lombardy, Italy Monterey, California, diocese
of Rocca di Papa, Italy seminarians ,spiritual directors ,spiritual leaders, Representation
cardinal wearing a cord around his neck; bishop wearing a cord around his neck;
curing the sick; Holy Communion and coat of arms bearing the word Humilitas Images
Back to Saints Index Gallery
at www.TotallyCatholic.com |