St Charles Borromeo
1538-1584 ~ Charles’ father was Count Gilbert Borromeo. His mother, Margaret Medici, was the sister of Pope Pius 1V. Charles was born in Italy, in Arona at the family castle on Lake Maggiore and he was educated at the Benedictine Abbey of St Gratian and St Felinus in Arona. He went on to do further studies in Milan and was ordained a priest. His uncle was elected pope in 1550 and he made Charles a cardinal-deacon and administrator of Milan when he was only twenty-two years of age and soon after he was consecrated bishop of Milan.
Even though the Pope's choice may have been favouritism for his nephew, Charles was a holy, gifted and talented man. He overcame a stammer which he suffered in childhood, to enable him to speak in public, though not at ease.
He was responsible for organising the final session on reform in the Council of Trent (reformation of the Catholic Church, held in Italy) and generally improved disciplines. His uncle, Pope Pius, died in 1566 and Charles took up the office of bishop of Milan in earnest and set in motion the reformation and restoration of the diocese which was in some disarray. Included in his many reforms were his improvements of education for the clergy and lay people and to provide more assistance to the poor. He also re-introduced and welcomed lapsed Catholics back into the church and he personally visited his parishes to promote learning and arts and to make them accessible to the ordinary people.
One of his ideas was the introduction of “Sunday schools” to give children religious instruction. Charles founded several seminaries and colleges to provide trained priests. Although Charles was surrounded by luxury in his private life, he lived a simple and disciplined existence and died literally worn out by hard work at only forty-six years of age in 1594. He is considered to be one of the most outstanding of Roman Catholic reformers in the Church.
He was canonised in 1610.