St Charles Borromeo

Today is the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, an important figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation. A true reformer (unlike so many of those false “reformers” to whom history has falsely given the title), he was dedicated to the reform and education of the clergy, implementing many of the reforms of the Council of Trent, including founding seminaries to educate and form priests. He was also zealous in his desire to educate his faithful, especially the youth. He brought in the newly founded Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) and began some of the first “Sunday schools” to educate children in the Faith and prepare them to receive the Sacraments. Because of his work founding seminaries and implementing CCD, he is the patron of seminarians, catechumens, and catechisms. St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!