In the 16th century there were many abuses in the way the Catholic Church was run. The Protestant Reformation did not correct them. (You can never correct an institution by leaving it.) But credit must still be given to the Protestant reformers for arousing Catholic leaders out of their lethargy. The result was the great ecumenical council of Trent, which brought about true reform.
St. Charles Borromeo is an ideal representative of the Catholic-Church-unreformed and the Catholic-Church-reformed. One of the pre-reformation abuses in papal practice, for instance, was that of a pope’s naming his own relatives to high positions. As late as 1559, when Cardinal John Medici was elected pope (Paul IV), he named Charles Borromeo, his nephew, a Cardinal, although Charles was only 22 years old and still not ordained a priest! The pope brought him to Rome and gave him all sorts of important jobs. Time proved, however, that Paul IV had selected the right man. Charles was embarrassed by his position, but a holy archbishop assured him that he should take advantage of it so as to help the Church to correct bad habits. Cardinal Charles forged ahead on that basis. He became the leader in reconvening the reformist Council of Trent and guiding it on to its splendid conclusion. Among his special contributions was the great handbook of Catholic teaching, the Catechism of the Council of Trent.
Once the council’s work was done, of course, it had to be put into effect. (Our own experience since 1965 reminds us how difficult it can be to put a lot of new Church laws into effect - even very good laws.) Charles had been officially archbishop of Milan since 1560. Now he left Rome and went to his diocese, intent on enforcing the reform laws that he had played so great a part in framing. Prayerfully and with great diligence, he worked to make better Catholics out of his own archdiocesans and the rest of the Catholics under his jurisdiction in northern Italy and Switzerland. He enacted laws in local councils. He established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, which instructed 40,000 children at Sunday schools. He encouraged new religious orders. He established seminars for training better priests. (Once he said, “Ah, you do not realize the worth of the life of one good priest!”) From 1575 to 1578 the bubonic plague hit Milan and its vicinity. Most of the city fathers fled, but the Cardinal Archbishop stayed in the city and took care of the plague-ridden with his own hands. Reforming people is more difficult, it seems, than bringing them to first conversion. St. Charles had to face not only stubborn non-cooperation, but violent rejection on the part of those who needed to be reformed. Thus the “chapter of canons” of the Church of Santa Maria della Scala declared that they would not allow the archbishop to make an official visitation of inquiry there, as he was supposed to do in all his churches. When he came to call, these priests slammed the door in his face. They appealed to the governor, who at first sided with the rebels and threatened to banish the Cardinal.
Then there was the religious order of the Humiliati. In its earlier years, these had done much good work. Now, however, the members were so unwilling to accept the new regulations that one of their priests named Farina shot the Cardinal point-blank as he knelt in prayer. Oddly, indeed miraculously, the bullet, though it penetrated his clothing, only raised a bruise on the victim’s skin.
In the 1920s, the then archbishop of Milan gave to the Church of St. Borromeo in Rochester, New York a part of a vestment that St. Charles was wearing when he was “assassinated”. It is a precious reminder of the great work that St. Charles did to infuse new life into Christianity. It is also a reminder of the problems that any pope and any bishop will have, even today, when they do their duty to renew those of us who object because we think more of what we want than of what God wants. --Father Robert F. McNamara
Scripture(Rom 12:3-13)
By the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned. For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one Body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality.
Writings
(Year B). Beloved children, the Lord God by that marvelous charity with which he loves the world, marvelously desires to communicate his Holy Spirit to it. On account of that he worked and accomplished so many things, but especially this: he sent his only-begotten Son from Heaven to earth, his Son who, being among men, said, I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled? (Lk. 12:49). I ask you, why do you think he lived through the period of thirty-three years during which he was among men, endured so many labors, so many nights watching in prayer, so many torments, and in the end did not shrink from death itself, except in order that, ascending the heavens after consummating all the mysteries of our salvation, he might decree that marvelous sending of the Holy Spirit, whom we recall in this time, the sending by which he came down visibly upon the most holy apostles in tongues of fire. Of course God at that time communicated his Spirit to them in a certain marvelous and privileged way; but he never ceases, or ever has ceased, to pour him into the hearts of the faithful in various ways, especially those faithful who strive to sufficiently dispose themselves for this. There are indeed many opportune means to this end, but by far the most excellent of all are the most holy Sacraments. And among these, the most holy Sacrament of Chrismation has been instituted, whereby men are especially filled up with the most precious treasures of divine grace, and enriched in a wonderful way. The Lord has deigned to commit the administration and conferral of this Sacrament to us bishops, so the nobility of such ministry and the excellence of the gift would be most clear to all. Indeed other Sacraments have been committed to all priests, but this one he left to bishops alone to administer. For it was fitting that the minister of this Sacrament be a more perfect minister, since a man is brought to perfection by him. Therefore, what is our part in this and the part of all other bishops as well? Nothing other than this, namely that as Christ accomplished so many things (as we have said from the beginning) for the sake of this very mission, so we too should set ourselves most diligently to work, and employ all care and effort, so that all the faithful entrusted to us may zealously come hastening to receive this most excellent gift. That is the reason why we shall with the greatest solicitude take care that they do so; and for that reason, we have decided to minister this most holy Sacrament.
But since you are now standing here about to receive this Sacrament, consider well what the Spirit himself works within you through the external actions of the bishop. The bishop anoints your foreheads in these words: I sign you with the sign of the Cross, and confirm you with the Chrism of salvation (Signo te signo Crucis, et confirm te Chrismate salutis); but interiorly the Paraclete fills you and enriches you with his gifts, and makes you quite unlike the way you were before. For already at the beginning of this sermon you heard how much the confirmed differ from those who are only baptized. Therefore with how much reverence, and how much submission of soul, and how much heartfelt desire, and with what tears, must you not approach here. Indeed I am amazed, and I consider it utterly reprehensible that there are usually some who approach with so much commotion, that it is as if it were not necessary, for those about to receive the Spirit of peace, to be here with the greatest peace. For certain ones among you desire so much to be first and fear so much to be last, that you seem to think you must spend a long time, not a day or two days, but all time, in order to receive the Holy Spirit. Consider closely, I beg you, how many things merchants do, for the sake of the slightest profit, how far they proceed into distant regions, how many dangers they overlook. And you, in order to obtain such a great treasure, are terrified by a few hours, and approach the God of peace with a great commotion? Are you going to not keep the stores closed, if you are to be confirmed during a holiday? Be on guard that does not happen out of punishable ignorance of divine gifts. But let us bring this now to a close. Come forward, most beloved souls, open the door of your heart to the Spirit coming into them, prepare your houses; which if you cannot do because of your sickness and poverty, ask it from the Spirit himself with tears, on account of that charity by which he communicated himself to the whole world, so he may grant you to will and to be able to do it, and so he may fit out a home for himself, preparing his temple here by his celestial grace, making you share at last, by his help, in eternal glory. Amen.(Homily to confirmands)
Musical Selection
Sacerdotes Dei, benedícite Dóminum: sancti, et húmiles corde, laudáte Deum. Ps. Benedícite, ómnia ópera Dómini, Dómino: laudáte et superexaltáte eum in sæcula. Gloria
Patri.
O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: O ye holy and humble of heart, praise God. Ps. All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt Him above all for ever. Glory be to the Father.
Collect
Almighty Father, who raised up Charles Borromeo to serve as a bishop and to reform the liturgy of the Church: let our Church be continually renewed and show the image of Christ to the world by being conformed to his likeness, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, now and for ever. Amen.(English Missal)
