From The Bishop

On Wednesday of this week (November 4), we celebrated the feast in honour of Saint Charles Borromeo. St. Charles was the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan during a very challenging time in the history of the Church. He was instrumental in bringing spiritual renewal to his diocese and theological clarity to the Church as many heretical teachings were being promoted during the turbulent years of the Protestant Reformation. In the Office of Readings for this feast, we find a homily that he delivered shortly before his death. I wish to share a quote from that homily with you. “My brothers, you must realize that for us churchmen nothing more is necessary than meditation. We must meditate before, during and after everything we do. The prophet says: I will pray, and then I will understand. When you administer the sacraments, meditate on what you are doing. When you celebrate Mass, reflect on the sacrifice you are offering. When you pray the office, think about the words you are saying and the Lord to whom you are speaking. When you take care of your people, meditate on the how the Lord’s blood that has washed them clean so that all that you do becomes a work of love.” (From a sermon given during the last synod he attended, by Saint Charles, bishop) This is good advice to all of us who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Let us always take the time to prayerfully reflect on what we are doing and celebrating so that all we do will always be a “work of love”.