Our School Saint
St Charles Borromeo
St Charles primary school is named after St Charles Borromeo, who was born on 2nd October 1538 in the castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore, near Milan. Charles was born into nobility, his father was the Count of Arona.
At the age of 12, the young Charles Borromeo decided to dedicate himself to the Church. He told his father that he would only keep money required for his education and to ensure that he could fulfil his wish of dedicating himself to a life of service in the Church. He wanted the rest of the money to be given to the poor.
In 1563, Charles Borromeo was ordained to the holy priesthood and, later that year, he became a bishop. He went on to become Archbishop of Milan in 1564.
In 1576 famine and plague struck Milan; Borromeo used his own fortune to feed the poor and the starving. He spent all his money helping others and even went on to borrow more, placing himself in debt.
Archbishop Borromeo died on November 3rd 1584, after being taken ill with a fever. He was beatified in 1602 by Pope Paul V and canonised in 1610.
The feast day of St Charles Borromeo is celebrated on the 4th November.