St. Charles Borromeo/San Carlos Borromeo de [Rio] Carmelo (1538-84)
November 4
Charles was born into a prominent
family: his mother was a Medici and Pope Pius IV was his uncle. Destined by his
parents to be a cleric, he received clerical tonsure at age twelve! At the same
time, he became the pro forma abbot of an abbey whose revenues were at
his disposal, which he channeled to the poor.
At twenty-two he became a cardinal, without being a priest or bishop at
the time. After getting doctorates in canon and civil law from the University
of Pavia, Charles was appointed the Pope’s Secretary of State. In that capacity
Charles could have easily turned out to be a self-indulgent officeholder.
Instead, he gave his life a religious orientation and became an ordained
priest. He focused his energies on the
job and helped complete the Council of Trent in 1563.
At the age of 25 he was consecrated
Archbishop of Milan. His priority was to implement the reforms instituted by
the Council. He was especially known for promoting religious education through
the establishment of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) throughout
the archdiocese, as well as establishing seminaries to provide for the
theological education and the religious formation of future priests.
Thus did St. Charles renew religious
life in his diocese, not as a cool administrative manager or as a politician
for church renewal, but as a priest and bishop, conscious of having been taken
into service by Jesus Christ, and desirous of being a good shepherd for people
after the example of Christ.
Not
everyone was happy with Bishop Borromeo; he survived an assassination attempt. Charles
simplified his life so that he would have the time and energy to care for God’s
people as best he could. Very interested in social problems, Charles did not
let his position prevent him from ministering to the victims of an epidemic
that swept through Milan in 1576. When others fled the city, he stayed to
organize the care of the sick and dying. He extended personal ministry and was
available as pastor to the seriously ill.
Charles Borromeo became a Secular
Franciscan (or Third Order) early in life and later served as Cardinal
Protector of the Franciscans. These factors probably influenced his love for
simplicity and his penitential spirit. He is a prominent figure in the era of
Catholic Counter-Reformation. He died at
the age of 46 and was canonized in 1610.
St.
Charles Borromeo Parish in North Hollywood is the home parish of Roger Cardinal
Mahoney and of my grandparents, Clara & Bill Hertan, as well as Delores
& Bob Hope, who contributed to the church’s renovation. My parents were
married at St. Charles in 1944.
San
Carlos was the second California Mission established in Monterey and became the
“headquarters” for Padre Serra while President of the Missions. Although named
after the Franciscan Saint, it was also named in honor of King Carlos III of
Spain, as well as the Viceroy of California, also named Carlos. The nearby
river was named El Río Carmelo earlier in 1602 by Spanish explorer Sebastián
Vizcaíno and his Carmelite friars, who were reminded of Mount Carmel in the
Holy Land; thus, the Mission was later situated in the Carmel River Valley.
