A meditation on the Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, and the Fourth Day within the Octave of the Feast of All Saints, from Dom Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year.Saint Charles Borromeo (1538–1584) was a cardinal and Archbishop of Milan who became one of the leading figures of the Counter-Reformation and a model of pastoral zeal. Born into a noble family in Italy, he was made a cardinal by his uncle, Pope Pius IV, at a young age and played a key role in reconvening and guiding the final sessions of the Council of Trent. Afterward, he dedicated his life to implementing its reforms, tirelessly working to renew clergy discipline, establish seminaries, and promote true Christian education and devotion among the laity. As Archbishop, he personally visited parishes, reformed monasteries, cared for the poor, and heroically ministered to plague victims during the epidemic of 1576. Renowned for his humility, austerity, and deep sense of duty, he died at only 46 years old and was canonized in 1610.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted in a deep contemplative spirit, aims to immerse the faithful in the Church’s prayerful life, emphasizing the unity of faith through the axiom lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of prayer is the law of belief"), and remains a cherished resource for Catholics seeking to deepen their spiritual lives. Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805–1875) was a French Benedictine monk, liturgical scholar, and founder of the Solesmes Abbey, renowned for his pivotal role in reviving the Benedictine Order in France and restoring the Roman liturgy after the disruptions of the French Revolution. Born in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, he entered the priesthood in 1827 and, inspired by a vision to restore monastic life, reestablished the Benedictine community at Solesmes in 1833, becoming its first abbot. A staunch defender of ultramontanism and traditional Catholic worship, he also championed the revival of Gregorian chant, significantly influencing the liturgical renewal movement.Please note: The entries of the Liturgical Year are primarily authored by Dom Prosper Guéranger, but occasionally contain editors’ additions of subsequent information and events that are relevant to the given feast.Link to the Dom Guéranger's Liturgical Year playlist (updated daily, unless a ferial day): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKdyYnV_bkh7rH6piW0ShgsdcefFoOvJ