Last April, I had the privilege of celebrating Mass in the
magnificent Cathedral in Milan, where St. Charles was Cardinal Archbishop from
the age of 25 until his death. The relics of his body lay in the Cathedral
crypt in Milan incorrupt after 430 years, but the relic of his heart is in the
minor basilica of Charles and Ambrose in Rome. Ambrose of course was the
Archbishop of Milan who instructed and baptized St. Augustine.
Our diocesan college seminary is dedicated to St. Charles
who is the patron Saint of Seminarians.
His work at the council of Trent helped to establish the modern seminary
system. He is also a patron saint of
Catechists, he helped develop the Catechism of the Council of Trent, which is
sometimes called the Catechism for Parish Priests. Before the Baltimore Catechism and our Modern
Catechism, St. Charles’ Catechism was used by parish priests for teaching the
faith to their people, laying the foundations of faith in our young people, and
preparing non-Catholics for initiation into the Catholic Faith.
The opening prayer this morning asked God to give us the
spirit which filled Bishop Saint Charles Borromeo, “that the Church may be
constantly renewed.” He was a great
reformer in his own Archdiocese. He believed
that the Archbishop and priests must give good example by their apostolic spirit. So he worked for the reform of his own
clergy, in fact he took the initiative in giving good example.
He allotted most of his income to charity, forbade himself
all luxury. During the plague and famine
which came to Milan in 1576, he tried to feed 60 to 70 thousand people daily,
taking upon himself a huge debt, which took years to repay. Whereas the civil authorities fled the city,
he stayed, where he ministered to the sick and the dying.
Work and the heavy burdens of his high office began to
affect his health. He died at the age of
46, 1584, and was canonized just 26 years later.
“Here is the way we can easily overcome the countless
difficulties we have to face day after day, which are part of our work,” he
said. “It is in prayer that we find the
strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in others.
Through prayer, God made St. Charles attentive to the needs
of the Church, his clergy, and as a pastor to his people. He was outstanding in virtue, penance, and
charity. May God help us to follow his
example in bearing good fruit through our own works of charity, for the glory
of God and salvation of souls.
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