On October 2, 1538, Saint Charles Borromeo was born at the Arona castle on Lake Maggiore, close to Milan. His mother belonged to the House of Medici, while his father was the Count of Arona. He was the third of the couple's six children.

When he was twelve, Charles committed himself to serving the Church. His uncle bequeathed him the family earnings from the Benedictine abbey of Saints Gratinian and Felinus. He had integrity even as a young man. He made it clear to his father that he could only keep the funds needed to support his studies and get him ready for church service. The remaining funds belonged to the Church's needy and were to be distributed to them.

To people who did not know him, the young count appeared slow due to a speech handicap. He did well and made an impression on his teachers despite this difficulty. He studied Latin at the University of Pavia and received recognition for his diligence.

Charles' father died in 1554, and although he was a child, he assumed responsibility for his home. Charles pursued further education and obtained a doctorate in civil law and canon law.

Charles's domestic responsibilities led to financial troubles, and he became known for having little money.

After his uncle, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Medici was elected Pope Pius IV on December 25, 1559, the young count's life took a dramatic turn. The newly appointed pope invited his nephew to Rome and made him a cardinal deacon. Pope Pius IV appointed his nephew a cardinal a month later at the age of 23. Additional responsibilities that came with the new title included overseeing the Carmelites, Franciscans, Knights of Malta, and the government of the Papal States.

Borromeo founded a literary college and promoted education by using his position as head of the Vatican. In the book Noctes Vaticanae, he described some of the lectures and lessons.

In 1560, Borromeo was named administrator of the Milan Archdiocese. He concluded that the Lord was calling him to the priesthood because he would be serving as Milan's ecclesiastical administrator.

After his brother's death in 1562, his family pushed him to stop attending church services to maintain the family name. But Borromeo declined. He grew increasingly determined to become a good bishop and to inspire others to serve as clerics.

Borromeo was initially ordained into the deacon's order. On September 4, 1563, he was then consecrated into the holy priesthood. On December 7, 1563, he was thereafter consecrated as a bishop. On May 12, 1564, he was appointed Archbishop of Milan.

Pope Pius IV, passed away in 1566. Borromeo carried on his mission in Milan, where he had already established himself. At the time, Milan was the Catholic Church's largest diocese, and corruption was pervasive.

Eliminating corruption was a crucial issue in Borromeo's day. Throughout northern Europe, the Protestant Reformation was gaining ground and threatening to sweep southward. Reform and the restoration of the Catholic Church's integrity were the best defenses against Protestant doctrinal mistakes and accusations against the Catholic Church hierarchy and Archbishop Borromeo made this his mission.

His approach was to educate a large number of clergy members whom he believed to be uninformed. He established ecclesiastical schools, seminaries, and institutions. In addition, he commanded monasteries to reform themselves and prohibited the sale of indulgences. He frequently travelled to other places to conduct his own inspections. One of the main points of dispute between certain Catholics and Protestants was the simplification of church interiors, which he ordered. It was said that the intricate and bustling interiors diverted attention from worshipping God. At the Council of Trent, which Archbishop Borromeo oversaw, this threat was recognized. Inappropriate decorations and ornamentation were removed from even his own relatives' tombs.

He also gained adversaries as a result of his efforts to purify the Church. A member of the "Humiliati," a small, shabby order, once tried to kill him with a pistol but was unsuccessful.

Throughout his career, Borromeo was the target of complaints from numerous subordinates and secular officials. But the fact that these adversaries existed only gave Borromeo more confidence and proved that his attempts to combat corruption were effective.

After a famine and epidemic hit Milan in 1576, many of the city's wealthy and influential residents left. Archbishop Borromeo remained there and fed the famished people with his own wealth. After spending that money, he took out loans and accumulated a large debt load. The local governor was eventually persuaded to take back his position and tend to the populace by Borromeo.

Archbishop Borromeo visited Switzerland in 1583 and started putting an end to heresy there. Witchcraft, sorcery, and Protestant heresies had all been well documented. In order to assist and educate Swiss Catholics, he established the Collegium Helveticum.

Borromeo’s life of labour and toil eventually started to wear him down. In 1584, he contracted a fever. His illness deteriorated once he returned to Milan. He received his final sacraments and at 46 years, he passed away on November 3.

On May 12, 1602, Pope Paul V beatified him. Later, on November 1, 1610, Pope Paul V canonized him. He is revered as the patron saint of catechists, seminarians and cardinals. In liturgical art, St. Charles Borromeo is seen barefoot, in his robes, holding the cross with a rope around his neck, and with his arm up in blessing.

Other Saints of the Day
St. Vitalis
St. Modesta
St. Nicander and Hermas
St. Philologus and Patrobas
St. Joannicus of Mount Olympus