Oct 31, 2010 / 02:47 am
No age of the Catholic Church's history is without its share of confusion and corruption. Still, even in moments when disorder may seem overwhelming, individuals and movements eventually arise to propose the faith with clarity and demonstrate it in action. St. Charles Borromeo, a central figure in the Council of Trent, will be remembered on November 4, as a model of such leadership in difficult times.
The circumstances of Charles' birth, in 1538, could have easily allowed him to join the ranks of corrupt Renaissance-era clergy. He was born into luxury, the son of noble parents, with a guaranteed income comparable to modern “trust funds.” Early on, however, the young man signaled his intention to go against the cultural grain. He announced his desire to serve the Church with sincerity, asking his father to give away the majority of the fund's money to the poor.
Charles could not escape a certain degree of wealth and prestige, which were expected due to his social class. But he insisted on using these forms of leverage to benefit the Church, rather than himself. When he was 22, opportunity knocked: the young lawyer and canonist's uncle was elected as Pope Pius IV.
Charles soon assumed staggering responsibilities, serving as a papal diplomat and supervisor of major religious orders.
The young man relaxed from these tasks through literature and music, taking no interest in the temptations abounding in Rome during the late Renaissance. He considered renouncing even this temperate lifestyle, for the strict observance of a monastery-- but found himself more urgently needed in the work of concluding the Council of Trent.