November 4 + Saint Charles Borromeo

Charles Borromeo was the Roman Catholic archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat against the Protestant Reformation together with Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Philip Neri. In that role, he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests.

Charles had a hand in the reform of the whole Church during the final years of the Council of Trent. He deserves the credit for keeping the Council in session when at several points it was on the verge of breaking up. He encouraged the Pope to renew the Council in 1562, after it had been suspended for 10 years. He took upon himself the task of the entire correspondence during the final phase.

The reform needed in every phase of Catholic life among both clergy and laity was initiated at a provincial council of all the bishops under him. Specific regulations were drawn up for bishops and other clergy: If the people were to be converted to a better life, Charles had to be the first to give a good example and renew their apostolic spirit.

Charles took the initiative in giving a good example. He allotted most of his income to charity, forbade himself all luxury, and imposed severe penances upon himself. He sacrificed wealth, high honors, esteem, and influence to become poor.

During the plague and famine of 1576, Charles tried to feed 60,000 to 70,000 people daily. To do this he borrowed large sums of money that required years to repay. Whereas the civil authorities fled at the height of the plague, he stayed in the city, where he ministered to the sick and the dying, helping those in want.

His work of cleaning up the Church also made him enemies. On one occasion a member of a small, decrepit order known as the "Humiliati" attempted to assassinate him with a pistol, but missed.

Work and the heavy burdens of his high office began to affect Archbishop Borromeo’s health, leading to his death at the age of 46.

Charles is the Patron Saint of apple orchards, bishops, catechists, colic, intestinal disorders, cardinals, seminarians, spiritual directors, spiritual leaders and stomach diseases.

PRAYER TO ONE'S GUARDIAN ANGEL
by Saint Charles Borromeo

My good Guardian Angel, I do not know when and in what manner I will die. It is possible that I will be taken suddenly, or that before my last breath I will find myself deprived of my mental capacities. And there are so many things that I would want to say to God, on the threshold of Eternity … so today, with the full freedom of my will, I come to ask, my Guardian Angel that you speak for me in this dreadful moment. You will say, then, to the Lord:

That I want to die in the Holy Roman Catholic Church, in the bosom of which all the saints died after Jesus Christ, and outside of which there is no salvation;

That I ask for the grace to participate in the infinite merits of my Redeemer, and that I wish to die resting my lips on the Cross that was washed with His Blood;

That I hate and detest my sins that have offended Jesus, and that out of love for Him, I forgive my enemies, as I myself wish to be forgiven;

That I accept my death as God’s will, and that, with all confidence, I surrender myself to His loving and most Sacred Heart, hoping in all His mercy;

That in my inexpressible desire to go to Heaven, I am ready to suffer whatever His sovereign Justice may please to inflict upon me.

That I love Him before all things, above all things and for His own sake and that I wish and hope to love Him with the Elect, His Angels and the Blessed Mother during all eternity.

Do not refuse, oh my Holy Guardian Angel, to be my interpreter with God and to expose before Him that these are my sentiments and my will. Amen.