Image from Lawrence OP, Flickr
November 4: Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop—Memorial
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Patron Saint of apple orchards, bishops, catechism writers, catechists, catechumens, seminarians, starchmakers, and spiritual directors
Invoked against abdominal pain, colic, stomach diseases, and ulcers
Canonized by Pope Paul V on November 1,
Liturgical Color: White
Version: Full &#; Short
Podcast channels:
Apple – Spotify – iHeart – Audible
Quote:
Most dearly beloved brethren, If you should look diligently into what was written in the Old Law about the excellence and purity of priests and other ministers serving the altar, and what was written about external cleanliness of body, it will surely enough become clear to you how much more excellent and pure, and how much more free from all stain and blemish of body, and even more of soul, the ministers and priests of the Law of the Gospel must be. For if we compare the New Law&#;s most holy sacrifice of the immaculate Lamb, the sa
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Who was our patron Saint Charles Borromeo? Charles Borromeo was born on October 2, , nära the Alps in Lake Maggiore, Italy. He was the second son of distinguished and wealthy parents who raised him in an extremely religious atmosphere. When he was twelve, he was given tonsure, which is the cutting of hair on top of the head. This marked him for the priesthood and he was educated with that goal in mind.
Charles studied theology and also earned his degree in law at the University of Pavia in Milan. Three weeks after he received his degree, his mother’s brother became Pope and called his brilliant young nephew to Rome. Almost immediately, Pope Pius IV made Charles, aged 22, a Cardinal of the Church. Because of his skills of organization and dealing with people, the Pope promoted Charles Borromeo to the office of Secretary of State, the Cardinal Protector of several countries and of six religious orders as well as naming him Archbishop of Milan. He had many friends, played the violin,