The Counter Reformation: St. Charles Borromeo

St.Charles (Carlo) Borromeo (1538-1584) was a man who fought alone against the corruption of his times. Son of the governor of Lake Maggiore, nephew of two famous brothers - Giacomo Medici, condottiere with the colours of Emperor Charles V,and Angelo Medici, Pope Pius IV - Charles Borromeo was appointed Cardinal and Secretary of State at the age of 22, and gratified with very important benefices. Entrusted by the Pope, he acted with great diplomacy preparing the reopening of the Council of Trent, which came to a conclusion in 1563. The study of stoic philosophy and the spirituality of Ignatius of Loyola persuaded him to reform first his life, then the Church of Milan, at that time including 15 dioceses in the north of Italy. To achieve his aim, when he became Archbishop of Milan he was obliged to fight against Spanish governors, Milanese nobles and some religious orders. In 1569 he was shot in the back by a friar, but he came out unhurt. Charles Borromeo, who gave the needy men his fortune and defended Milan from the Spanish Inquisition, famine and pestilence, was claimed saint by the people long before his death. -Jacket.

Reflecting the work of a 1984 international conference at the Folger Shakespeare Library, this collective study of Carlo Borromeo goes beyond the image of the saint to reveal a commanding figure who sought to extend his Milanese experience of provincial reform to Rome, to the Curia, and to the Catholic world at large. Illustrated.

In that group of remarkable men and women providentially raised up to meet the challenge of a great crisis,when the Faith was shaken in Europe and civilisation suffered,Cardinal Charles Borromeo stands out as a central figure.His powerful influence and untiring activity contributed no little to that lasting Reformation from within the Church which effectively presents to the world today a purified,united,vastly strengthened and vigorously active Catholicism.Mankind owes to him a debt of gratitude.-Preface

This book is the life story of St.Charles Seminary from its first years in Bishop Kenrick's home to the present.It is a continuation of the earlier histories of this "Workshop of Christ" which were compiled by the eminent professors,Father Augustin J. Schulte (1890,1905,1917),and Monsignor George E.O'Donnell (1943,1953,1964).Each volume has told the story of the founding of the institution and carried the narrative to the date of publication.Each volume supplied data in continued research,corrected previous mistakes,and added features of its own.Since we have used their knowledge in compiling our own history,we hasten to profess that 'we stand on the shoulders of the past and learn to the end of our lives from the accumulated experience of mankind".(Martin C.D'Arcy,"The Nature of Belief ",London,1931,p.207)-Preface.