St. Charles Borromeo (1538- 1584) is most known for living during the time of the Protestant Reformation and helped influence reform of the whole Church during the final years of the Council of Trent.
Although St. Charles Borromeo belonged to nobility, he greatly desired to serve the Church. In 1559, his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV. He made Charles cardinal-deacon and administrator of the Archdiocese of Milan. At the time, Charles was a simple student, but because of his intellectual qualities, he was assigned several important offices connected with the Vatican. After the death of his brother, he decided to become a priest and was ordained at age 25. Soon after he became bishop of Milan.
Quietly working behind the scenes, St. Charles Borromeo is credited with keeping the Council of Trent in session and encouraging the pope to renew the Council in 1562, after its 10-year suspension. Afterwards, he devoted his time to serving in the Archdiocese of Milan.
Among his most important actions during his life, St. Charles Borromeo established seminaries, colleges, and communities for the education of candidates for holy orders. His emphasis on Catholic learning greatly increased the preparation of men for the priesthood and benefited their congregations. He died at the age of 46.
Saint of the Week September 21. 2025
St. Pius of Pietrelcina 1887–1968 Feast Day September 23
Patron Saint of adolescents and civil defense volunteers Invoked by those in need of stress relief, spiritual healing, and for January blues Canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002
Best known as Padre Pio, St. Pius was born Francesco Forgione in 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. As a young boy he suffered many illnesses including typhoid. He joined Capuchin Franciscans at 15 and took the name of Pius or “Pio” in honor of Pope Pius I. He was ordained in 1910, and at this time he received the marks of stigmata, the wounds of Christ, but they eventually healed. Frequent illnesses continued to plague him as a young man. Padre Pio served in the Italian Medical Corps during World War I, but he was discharged early because of illness, which was likely tuberculosis. He was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo. In 1918, while continuing to serve at the friary, the stigmata appeared again, and this time remained until his death. Many faithful came to see him at the friary, his days were long, beginning with Mass at 5 a.m. then hearing confessions all day with breaks to bless the sick. A simple man, content to do God’s will on earth and with the ardent desire to serve the sick and poor in whom he saw Christ, he urged a hospital, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for the Relief of Suffering), to be built in San Giovanni Rotondo. It opened in 1956. Padre Pio died at the age of eighty-one in 1968 and in 2002 Pope John Paul II proclaimed him “St. Pio of Pietrelcina.”
St. Elizabeth of Portugal 1271–1336 Feast Day: July 5
Patron Saint of widows, brides, charity workers, those falsely accused, victims of adultery, and the Canary Islands, Spain
St. Elizabeth was born to Peter III of Aragon and his queen Constantia in 1271. Like most royal girls of the time, she was betrothed at an early age, and was married to King Diniz (or Dinis, English: Denis) at the age of 12. Although her husband’s infidelities and life of sin caused much scandal, Elizabeth was a good and Pius queen. She attended Mass daily and dedicated her life to helping the poor. She established orphanages and shelters for the homeless. She also founded a convent of Poor Clares at Coimbra, Portugal.
Often called Peacemaker, Elizabeth was from her birth a reconciler of conflict. Her birth brought her father and his estranged father James to peace. Later when her own son and husband came to war out of jealousy, she rode between armies and reconciled the two men. After King Diniz died in 1325, she went to live as a lay member at the convent of Poor Clares that she had founded. But her fight for peace was not over, she undertook a long ride to keep the army of her son Afonso IV, from fighting that of Alfonso XI of Castile. Although she was successful, she died shortly after from a fever. Saint Elizabeth was canonized on May 25th, 1625, by Pope Urban VIII. In the United States her memorial has been transferred to July 5th since July 4th is Independence Day, a national holiday.
