Saint Charles Borromeo
Patron Saint of bishops, catechists, and seminarians.
Feast Day: November 4th
Bishop and Religious
Arona (Lombardy), Italy
Public Domain: Carlo Borromeo via Wikimedia Commons.
Feast Day: November 4th
Bishop and Religious
Arona (Lombardy), Italy
About
Charles Borromeo (1538–1584) served as Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan and became a driving force of post-Trent renewal. He helped bring the Council of Trent to its conclusion, pushed for a clear catechism, and then took reform home—founding seminaries, visiting parishes, and setting a high bar for preaching and pastoral care. In famine and plague he organized relief, sold possessions to feed the poor, and led public prayer and penance. He died in Milan at 46.
Legacy
Borromeo set the template for hands-on bishops: teach clearly, live simply, and stay close to the people. His reforms in clergy formation and catechesis shaped Catholic life for centuries, and devotion to him spread quickly after his death; he was canonized in 1610 and is honored each year on November 4.
“Be sure that you first preach by the way you live.” — St. Charles Borromeo.
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