St. Charles Borromeo - November 4th
Charles was the son of a rich and holy Count of Italy. Like other young men of his high position, he went to the University of Pavia, but unlike many of them, he would have nothing to do with sinful activities. He seemed to be a slow student because he was not a good speaker at all, but he really made good progress.
He was only twenty-three when his uncle, Pope Pius IV, gave him many important duties. He managed to handle all his affairs well, but he was always afraid that he might stray from God because of the many temptations there were for the rich. For this reason he was always careful to deny himself many pleasures and to be humble and patient at all times.
As a priest and later the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, St. Charles was a model Shepherd of souls. He gave away great amounts of money to the poor, and at home had only one shabby cassock to his name. In public, though, he dressed as a Cardinal should and attended with great care to the dignity and proper respect owed to Church ceremonies. In Milan many had practices and much superstition was practiced. By wise laws, by gentle kindness and by his own marvelous example, St. Charles made his diocese a model for the whole Church. He was never a good speaker-people could barely hear him-yet his words took effect.
When a terrible disease caused a great many deaths in Milan, the Cardinal thought of nothing else but caring for his people. He prayed and did penance; he organized crews of attendants and went into dept to feed the hungry. He even had altars set up in the streets so that the sick could assist at Mass from their windows.
This great man was never too busy to help simple people. He once stayed with a poor little shepherd lad until he had taught him the Our Father and the Hail Mary. As he lay dying at the age of forty-six, St. Charles said peacefully, “Behold, I come!”
What a fascinating motto this would be: “To God all the glory, to my neighbor all the joy, to me all the sacrifice”!
