Growing up in NJ, now so adversely challenged thanks to Sandy, a young person realizes there are really two societies within one entity. As impressive inside as out, I know, having been a visitor on several occasions seeking the path of life. When Borromeo was about twelve years old, his uncle Giulio Cesare Borromeo, resigned to him an abbacy the office and dignity of an abbot.
Borromeo applied the revenue from this position in charity to the poor. He studied civil and canon law at Pavia.
In his father died, and although he had an elder brother, Count Federigo, he was requested by the family to take the management of their domestic affairs. After a time, he resumed his studies, and in he took his doctoral degree. Pius IV named Borromeo as protonotary apostolic secretary of state , entrusted with both the public and the privy seal of the ecclesiastical state.
Like other wealthy young men, he went to the University of Pavia. Unlike many of them, however, he would have nothing to do with sinful activities. He seemed to be a slow student because he was not a good speaker, but he made good progress.
At age twenty-two, Borromeo was highly trusted at the papal court. Soon afterwards Pius IV raised him to the archbishop of Milan. He established an academy of learned persons, the Academy of the Vatican Nights, and published their memoirs as the Noctes Vaticanae. He was always afraid that he might stray from God because of the many temptations around him. For this reason, he was careful to focus his attention on prayer and his duties and to make the effort to be humble and patient.
