Feast day: November 4
Saint Charles was a bishop in Milan, Italy. His appointment as bishop was delayed because the Council of Trent needed his skill as a behind-the-scenes leader when serious disagreements occurred—something he could not offer if he had been a bishop attending the council.
Charles believed that if the people were to live a good life, they needed the good example of the clergy and bishops. He set a powerful example himself during the plague by borrowing huge sums of money to feed those who were starving and minister to those who were dying. The plague, often called "the black death," was a deadly disease for which there was no vaccine (the concept was unheard of in the 16th century) and no cure. About one-third of the population of Europe died from the plague, and it reappeared every few generations for hundreds of years. (Adapted from Take Ten: Daily Bible Reflections for Teens [Saint Mary’s Press])
(Image in public domain-100)