Happy St. Charles Borromeo Day!
CHARLES BORROMEO
1. Also known as
Carlo Borromeo; Father of the Clergy; Apostle to the Council of Trent
Memorial
Feast Day on November 4
Born to a wealthy, noble family, he was the nephew of Pope Pius IV. Civil and canon lawyer at age 21, studying at one point under the future Pope Gregory XIII, cardinal at 22, archbishop of Milan at 24. Suffered with a speech impediment. Spent his life and fortune in the service of the people of his diocese. Directed and fervently enforced the decrees of the Council of Trent, and 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. Teacher, confessor and parish priest to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Did great public and private penance, and worked among the sick and dying during the plague. Born October 2,1528 at Aron, Italy. Died November 2, 1584 of natural causes. Canonized November 1, 1610 by Pope Paul V.
If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.
- Saint Charles Borromeo
I admit that we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily. Would you like me to teach you how to grow from virtue to virtue and how, if you are already recollected at prayer, you can be even more attentive next time, and so give God more pleasing worship? Listen, and I will tell you. If a tiny spark of God's love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out. Keep the stove tightly shut so that it will not lose its heat and grow cold. In other words, avoid distractions as well as you can. Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter.
If teaching and preaching is your job, then study diligently and apply yourself to whatever is necessary for doing the job well. Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.
We must meditate before, during and after everything we do. The prophet says: "I will pray, and then I will understand."
This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work. In meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in other men.
- Saint Charles Borromeo
www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc10.htm
1. Also known as
Carlo Borromeo; Father of the Clergy; Apostle to the Council of Trent
Memorial
Feast Day on November 4
Born to a wealthy, noble family, he was the nephew of Pope Pius IV. Civil and canon lawyer at age 21, studying at one point under the future Pope Gregory XIII, cardinal at 22, archbishop of Milan at 24. Suffered with a speech impediment. Spent his life and fortune in the service of the people of his diocese. Directed and fervently enforced the decrees of the Council of Trent, and 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. Teacher, confessor and parish priest to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Did great public and private penance, and worked among the sick and dying during the plague. Born October 2,1528 at Aron, Italy. Died November 2, 1584 of natural causes. Canonized November 1, 1610 by Pope Paul V.
If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.
- Saint Charles Borromeo
I admit that we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily. Would you like me to teach you how to grow from virtue to virtue and how, if you are already recollected at prayer, you can be even more attentive next time, and so give God more pleasing worship? Listen, and I will tell you. If a tiny spark of God's love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out. Keep the stove tightly shut so that it will not lose its heat and grow cold. In other words, avoid distractions as well as you can. Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter.
If teaching and preaching is your job, then study diligently and apply yourself to whatever is necessary for doing the job well. Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.
We must meditate before, during and after everything we do. The prophet says: "I will pray, and then I will understand."
This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work. In meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in other men.
- Saint Charles Borromeo
www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc10.htm