“If we wish to make any progress in the service of God, we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness.”
These are the famous words of St. Charles Borromeo.
However, his life was also remembered by extraordinary moments in which divine intervention shielded him from mortal danger.
St. Charles was known for his tireless zeal and sweeping reforms. He founded the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), establishing a structured system of religious education for children that became the model for modern Sunday schools.
He was also a principal figure behind the implementation of the Council of Trent and assisted in the creation of the first universal catechism of the Catholic Church.
On the evening of Wednesday, October 26, 1569 AD, as St. Charles knelt in prayer in his private chapel, a rogue friar of the Humiliati order fired a harquebus (an early type of firearm) directly into his back from just a few yards away.
The 31-year-old Cardinal Archbishop of Milan felt the impact like the heavy blow of a lance, which pushed him forward toward the altar.
Believing that he had been mortally wounded, he raised his eyes and hands to heaven, thanking God for the grace of suffering for justice.
Miraculously, the heavy lead ball failed to penetrate his heavy vestments and robes.
The bullet left him only with a dark bruise rather than a fatal wound, and he instantly forgave his would-be assassin.
Alongside being the patron saint of bishops, seminarians, and catechists, he is uniquely recognized as the patron saint for protection against stomach ailments, ulcers, and health struggles.
Like St. Charles Borromeo, may we, too, face life’s trials with faith, forgiveness, and an eagerness to serve God each day.
St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!