Pope: Sense of belonging more important than numbers of people in Church

In the January edition of the Piazza San Pietro magazine, Pope Leo XIV encourages a Swiss catechist struggling…
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https://www.newsbeep.com/360111/

Charles Borromeo

We’re delving into Charles Borromeo because there’s a church named after him in our founder’s hometown. We hope you enjoy this read.

His name in Italian is: Carlo Borromeo. In Latin, his name: Carolus Borromeus. He was an Italian Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Milan from 1564-1584. He became a cardinal in 1560. A prelate is a high-ranking cleric with special jurisdiction or authority, essentially anyone exercising public power or holding a position of prominence above ordinary clergy.

Charles founded the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine together with St. Ignatius of Loyola & St. Philip Neri. In this role, he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church. Including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. He was canonized in 1610 & his feast day is November 4.

Charles was a descendant of nobility. The Borromeo family was 1 of the most ancient & wealthiest in Lombardy. The family coat of arms included the Borromean rings, sometimes taken to symbolize the Holy Trinity.

Charles’ dad, Gilbert, was the Count of Arona. His mom, Margaret, was a member of the Milanese branch of the House of Medici. He was the 2nd son in a family of 6 kids. He was born in the castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore 36 miles from Milan on October 2, 1538.

Charles received the tonsure when he was about 12 years old. At this time, his paternal uncle (dad’s brother), Giulio Cesare Borromeo turned over to him the income from the rich Benedictine abbey of Saints Gratinian & Felin, 1 of the ancient requirements of the family.

Charles let his dad know on no uncertain terms that all revenues from the abbey beyond what was required to prepare him for a career in the church belonged to the poor & couldn’t be applied to secular use.

Charles went to the University of Pavia. He applied himself to the study of civil & canon law. Because of a slight speech impediment, he was thought of as slow but his thoroughness & industry meant that he made fast progress.

In 1554, his dad died. Although he had an older brother, Count Federico, he was requested by the family to take the management of their domestic affairs. After a time, he restarted his studies. On December 6, 1559, he earned a doctorate in canon & civil law.

On December 25, 1559, Charles’ uncle, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Medici, was elected as Pope Pius IV. The newly elected Pope requested his nephew to go to Rome. On January 13, 1560, Pope Pius IV appointed him as protonotary apostolic. Protonotary apostolic is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in Roman Curia, or outside Rome.

Shortly after, on January 31, 1560, the Pope made him a cardinal. This made Charles a cardinal-nephew. He was entrusted with both the public & the privy seal of the ecclesiastical state. A cardinal-nephew was a high-ranking Cardinal in the Catholic Church. Usually the pope’s actual nephew or another close relative(s), who served as the pontiff’s chief assistant & confidant. He was also brought into the government of Papal States & appointed a supervisor of the Franciscans, Carmelites, & Knights of Malta.

During his 4 years in Rome, Charles lived in austerity, required the Roman Curia to wear black (The Roman Curia is the administrative arm of the Holy See.), & established an academy of learned persons, the Academy of the Vatican Knights.

Charles organized the 3rd, & last, session of the Council of Trent, in 1562-63. He had a large hand in making the Tridentine Catechism (Catechismus Romanus). In 1561, Charles founded & endowed a college at Pavia. Today the college is known as Almo Collegio Borromeo. Charles dedicated the college to Justina of Padua.

On November 19, 1562, Charles’ older brother, Federico, suddenly died. His family urged Charles to seek permission to return to the laity (laicization), to marry & have kids so that the family name wouldn’t become extinct. But he decided not to leave the ecclesiastic state.

His brother’s death, along with his contacts (with the Jesuits, the Theatines, & the example of bishops such as Bartholomew of Braga) were causes of the conversion Charles towards a more strict & operative Christian life. His aim became to put into practice the dignity & duties of the bishop as drafted by the Council of Trent.

After the death of his uncle, Pope Pius IV (1566), Charles sent a galley (a type of ship) to get Cardinal Ugo Boncompagni, the Nuncio of Spain. The nuncio (or apostolic nuncio) is the Pope’s personal ambassador (like an embassy’s ambassador) to a country & plays a key role in appointing bishops.

But the Cardinal didn’t arrive in time to be considered at the conclave. Charles reached an agreement with Alessandro Farnese, who held a significant number of conclave votes, to support Antonio Ghislieri (who was rumored to have the support of King Philip II of Spain). Ghislieri was elected Pope & took the name: Pius V.

He devoted himself to the reformation of his diocese which had deteriorated in practice owing to the 80-year absence of previous archbishops. Milan was the largest archdiocese in Italy at the time, with more than 3,000 clergy & 800,000 people. Both its clergy & laity had drifted from church teaching. The selling of indulgences & ecclesiastical positions was prevalent.

Charles believed that abuses in the church arose from ignorant clergy. His emphasis on Catholic learning greatly increased the preparation of men for the priesthood & benefited their congregations.

He founded the fraternity of Oblates of St. Ambrose (a society of secular men who didn’t take orders), but devoted themselves to the church & followed a discipline of monastic prayers & study. The new archbishop’s efforts for catechesis & the instruction of youth included the initiation of the 1st Sunday School classes & the work of the Confraternity for Christian Doctrine.

Charles’ diocesan reforms faced opposition from several religious orders. Particularly that of the Humiliati (Brothers of Humility), a penitential order which owned some 90 monasteries. Some members of that society formed a conspiracy against his life.

A shot was fired at him with an arquebus in the archepiscopal chapel. His survival was considered miraculous.

Even though the Diet of Ilanz of 1524 & 1526 had proclaimed freedom of worship in the 3 Leagues, Charles repressed Protestantism in the Swiss valleys. During his pastoral visit to the region, 150 people were arrested for practicing witchcraft. 11 women & the provost were condemned by the civil authorities to be burned alive.

Reacting to the pressure of the Protestant Reformation, Charles encouraged Ludwig Pfyffer in his development of the “Golden League” but didn’t live to see its formation in 1586.

Based in Lucerne, the organization (also called the Borromean League) linked activities of several Swiss Catholic cantons of Switzerland. This became the center of Catholic Counter-Reformation efforts & caused the break-up of Appenzell canton along religious lines.

Following his departure from this mortal coil, devotion to Charles grew quickly & continued to grow. The Milanese memorializes his anniversary as though he were already a saint. Supporters in a number of cities collected documentation to support his canonization.

In 1602, Pope Clement VIII beatified Charles. 2 years later, his “case” was sent to the Congregation of Rites. On November 1, 1610, Pope Paul V canonized Charles. 3 years later, the church added his feast day to the General Roman Calendar for celebration on November 4.

Along with Guarinus of Palestrina & Anselm of Lucca, he’s 1 of only 2-3 cardinal-nephews to have been canonized. Charles Borromeo is the patron saint of bishops; catechists; seminarians; against ulcers; apple orchards; bishops; catechumens; colic; intestinal disorders; Lombardy, Italy; Monterey, California; cardinals; seminarians; spiritual directors; spiritual leaders; starch makers; stomach diseases; & Sao Carlos (Brazil).

Charles’ emblem is the Latin word humilitas (humility), which is a portion of the Borromeo shield. He’s usually represented in art in his robes, barefoot, carrying the cross as archbishop, a rope around his neck and 1 hand raised in blessing. Thus recalling his work during the plague.

A large number of churches dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo exist in: Austria; Sheffield, England; Scotland; Belgium; Italy; Serbia; Poland; Switzerland; Vienna; Ireland; England; Indiana; Louisiana; Canada, California; Florida; Illinois; New York; Texas; Missouri; Minnesota; North Dakota; Ohio; Maryland; Massachusetts; Nebraska; New Jersey; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Virginia; Washington; Oklahoma; New Hampshire; Argentina; Brazil; Peru; Uruguay; Venezuela; & Chile.

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#1November1610 #13January1560 #1526 #1554 #1560 #1561 #1562 #1563 #1564 #1566 #1584 #1586 #1602 #1610 #19November1562 #2October1538 #25December1559 #31January1560 #6December1559 #AcademyOfTheVaticanKnights #AlessandroFarnese #AlmostCollegioBorromeo #AnselmOfLucca #AntonioGhislieri #ApostolicNuncio #Appenzell #ArchbishopOfMilan #Argentina #Arona #Austria #BartholomewOfBraga #Belgium #BorromeanLeague #Brazil #BrothersOfHumility #Califronia #Canada #CanonLaw #Cantons #Cardinal #CardinalGiovanniAngeloMedici #CardinalUgoBoncompagni #CardinalNephew #CardinalNephews #CarloBorromeo #Carmelites #CarolusBorromeus #Catechesis #CatechismusRomanus #Catholic #CatholicChurch #CatholicCounterReformation #CharlesBorromeo #Chile #CivilLaw #Conclave #ConfraternityForChristianDoctrine #ConfraternityOfChristianDoctrine #CongregationOfRites #CouncilOfTrent #CountFederico #CountOfArona #DietOfIlanzOf1524 #England #Franciscans #GeneralRomanCalendar #GilbertBorromeo #GiulioCesareBorromeo #GoldenLeague #GuarinusOfPalestrina #HolySee #HolyTrinity #Humiliati #Illinois #Indiana #Ireland #Italy #Jesuits #JustinaOfPadua #KingPhilipIIOfSpain #KnightsOfMalta #Laicization #LakeMaggiore #Lombardy #Louisiana #LudwigPfyffer #MargaretBorromeo #Massachusetts #MilaneseHouseOfMedici #Missouri #Nebraska #NewHampshire #NewJersey #NorthCarolina #NorthDakota #November4 #Nuncio #Ohio #Oklahoma #PapalStates #Pavia #Pennsylvania #Peru #PiusV #Poland #PopePaulV #PopePiusIV #Prelate #ProtestantReformation #Protestantism #ProtonotaryApostolic #RomanCuria #Rome #Scotland #Serbia #StAmbrose #StFelin #StGratinian #StIgnatiusOfLoyola #StPhilipNeri #SundaySchool #SwissValleys #Switzerland #Texas #Theatines #ThreeLeagues #Tonsure #TridentineCatechism #UniversityOfPavia #Uruguay #Venezuela #Vienna #Washington

Patristic – Catechesis Review

By Thus Spoke

The first eight centuries of the common era were a tumultuous one for Christian theology, played out in the writings of scholars now considered Early Church fathers. The study of this back-and-forth, which eventually resulted in an agreed ‘canon,’ gives Patristic their name. On debut Catechesis, the trio turn to the turbulent and culturally pivotal period that saw the fall of the Roman Empire, and the rise of the once-marginalized religion. The album’s title refers to the practice of Christian instruction imparted upon potential converts—teachings which stemmed from a still-divided root, even as the religion spread and any pretenses to truth conceded to power. This chaos informs Patristic’s music in a way unique to freeform dissonant metal and culminates in a record whose resonance goes beyond the literal echo of its notes.

The seamlessly flowing sermons that comprise Catechesis are both discomfiting and alluring. Churning riffs and undulating waves of percussion, though sinister and often dissonant, mesmerize through hypnotic recurrence, as Patristic sway and lurch between moments of eerie calm, and punishing violence. And the whole evolves gradually through repeated returns to restless drum patterns, and passages of tense atmosphere, cataclysmic blackened-death assaults, and imposing, frightening melody. As with all the best dissonant extreme metal, Catechesis is intense without being totally overwhelming, and beyond this, is haunting in its particular approach to the interplay between spaciousness and crushing density. In this—particularly a disposition towards dark layers of guitar, and a reverberating quality to the vocals (“A Vinculis Soluta II,” “Catechesis I”)—the closest comparison is Verberis,1 though Patristic craft a drama that is very much their own.

Catechesis can and should be seen as one piece; you could say, one instruction, one imparting of sacred knowledge or dogma. Without lyrics, much is hidden, but as the album progresses, one gets the sense of approaching order by means of violence. The grand refrain that first emerges towards the end of “Catechesis II” comes to fruition with yet ominous finality in closer “Catechesis IV,” and this ultimate reprise echoes the subversive creep of themes through Catechesis. The music’s stream allows the ebb and flow of elements to layer, rise, and fade away with grace that borders on predatory, melodies teased in fragmentary glimpses (“A Vinculis Soluta I,” “Catechesis IV”), or their aura turned back from menacing to mournful (“A Vinculis Soluta II” “Catechesis III”). Riffs overlap in uneasy syncopation, hum malevolently, or chime emphatically in a reverberant chorus with rasping and cavernous bellows, and cello2—played in shuddering vibrato3—weaves through the darkness to amplify tension, and eerie beauty (“Vinculis Soluta II,” “Catechesis I,” “Catechesis II”). Driving the whole through union and separation is a current of mesmerizingly fluid and dynamic drumming, which heightens the already portentous atmospheres and pulls you deep into the writhing mass of it all.

The convergence of the many thematic and percussive threads across the album is impressive in its scope and deceptive ease; it is seamless, beautiful, and often frightening. Patristic also achieve the practically unachievable by using spoken word to add powerful gravitas, which increases rather than lessens the song’s impact (“A Vinculis Soluta I,” “A Vinculis Soluta II”). And speaking of impact, the drum performance, courtesy of Sathrath, deserves particular praise for being one of the most insane of its kind I have ever heard.4 It’s impossibly delicate in shivering cymbal taps, lethally fast in split-second rollovers and fills, and ruthless in its sharp, brutal cascades of double-bass. Everything, drums included, is produced perfectly to allow the convulsing lows to reflect and resonate in a cavernous, immersive portal of grinding guitar and bellowing howls, and the stalking highs dip chillingly below and above its surface.

With such immensity, it’s easy to see how Patristic got a signing with Willowtip so soon; I struggle to believe that these musicians have been playing together for less than five years. So arresting is Catechesis, so layered and immersive, that it threatens to overshadow all other extreme metal this year—if not all metal, period. This is a teaching that all acolytes of the dark and dissonant, and hell, maybe even the crucified Lord, need to hear.

Rating: Excellent
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Willowtip
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 20th, 2025

#2025 #45 #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #Catechesis #DeathMetal #DissonantDeathMetal #ItalianMetal #Jun25 #Patristic #Review #Reviews #Ulcerate #Verberis #WillowtipRecords

I was angrily scolded by a vistor to our church after worship this morning - not because I preached heresy regarding the Trinity, but because the creed that followed the sermon states: “this is the catholic faith: that we worship one God in trinity, and the trinity in unity…”

Their charge against me: I am a crypto-heretic/cryto-Roman Catholic, leading people away from the Reformed tradition and into the Roman Catholic church.

I tried to explain what catholic means, but they refused to listen and stormed out, and even refused to shake my hand.

This is the fruit of generations that abandoned catechesis, lost sight of church history, and took up an “its just me and my Bible” mentality. The fruit is deadly.

#catechesis #christian #ministry

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#MetalInjection

PATRISTIC Streams Miserable New Single "A Vinculis Soluta I"

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/patristic-streams-miserable-new-single-a-vinculis-soluta-i

#Patristic #VinculisSolutaI #Catechesis #Kennelty #Willowtip #Morabito #Gorrini #Zech #Scapinello #Novakova

St. Kuriakos Elias Chavara: Wisdom for Life

Trust your mother; God will hear the mother’s request like the baby’s request.

St. Kuriakos Elias Chavara

St. Kuriakos Elias Chavara was a Syro-Malabar Catholic priest, reformer, and saint from Kerala, India. Born in 1805, he co-founded the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), the first indigenous religious congregation in India. He pioneered education by establishing parish schools to make learning accessible to all and championed social reform while remaining deeply rooted in prayer, the Eucharist, and Marian devotion.

St. Kuriakos Elias Chavara’s life and teachings shine as a beacon of wisdom for families, educators, and anyone seeking to live a God-centered life. His remarkable contributions to education, social reform, and spirituality continue to inspire generations. Among his many contributions, the Sayings to Children stand out as a timeless set of practical and spiritual advice for young and old alike.

In this episode of the Carmelite Quotes podcast, we reflect on three key themes from his Sayings to Children: the sacred responsibility of parenting, the power of good friendships, and the nourishment of wisdom and purity for the soul. St. Kuriakos challenges us to see everyday life as an opportunity to grow in holiness, together as families and individuals.

Listen to the full episode below to discover how St. Kuriakos Elias Chavara’s wisdom can inspire you to live a faith-filled life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hThggQIFEW4

Featured image: Artist Reji Joseph created the portrait of St. Kuriakos Elias Chavara (used by kind permission). Digital artist Ligo used A.I. tools to create the image of children in Kerala (Adobe Stock)

#catechesis #children #families #holiness #India #Kerala #Podcast #spiritualDirection #StKuriakosEliasChavara #wisdom

Quote of the day, 1 January: St. Edith Stein

The Mother of God is among all women the most intimately bound to Christ, she is the heart of the Church of which Christ is the head. Her singular support gladdens all women who want to be mothers in this supernatural sense.

For just as Mary begot total humanity in Christ through her offspring—“Be it done unto me according to Thy will” [Lk 1:38]—just so does she help those who strive to unveil Christ in the heart of another.

Thus, woman’s mission is to imitate Mary. She must further the life of faith by providing a secure and enduring foundation. As teacher, she must be the maternal, loving educator for Christ. She must nourish a rich life of faith in young persons through their intellectuality and voluntariness.

By so consecrating herself to supernatural maternity, the Catholic woman becomes an organ of the Church. And, in this way, she will fulfill this function in the religious life as in a life united to God in the world.

Saint Edith Stein

The Woman as Guide in the Church
Katholisches Sonntagsblatt für die Diözese Augsburg, 1932

Stein, E 2017, Essays On Woman, The Collected Works of Edith Stein, Book 2, translated from the German by Oben, F, ICS Publications, Washington D.C.

Featured image: This detail comes from Madonna of the Rose, an oil on canvas painting by French artist Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret (1852–1929), executed in 1885. Image credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Wikimedia Commons

#BlessedVirginMary #catechesis #church #imitation #mission #MotherOfGod #motherhood #StEdithStein #woman