Saint of the Day – 10 October – St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) Confessor, Priest of the Society of Jesus, Advisor, Missionary, Evangelist, Administrator par excelleance. Francisco de Borja y Aragon was the 4th Duke of Gandía, was a Grandee of Spain, a Spanish Jesuit and third Superior General of the Society of Jesus
A continuation of the life of St Francis Borgia – an entire year has slipped by, for which I should apologise, however, each day brings its own duties to the Saints being venerated on that particular day. Time runs away … Let us continue with a little more from Fr Alban Butler (1711-1773) who wrote his portrayal of our Saint from:
“The life, compiled by Fr Ribadeneira, who was for nine years, his Confessor, is the master-piece of that pious author, who, by his acquaintance with the holy man and his own experience in an interior life, was excellently qualified to animate, in his expression, the narrative of the actions of the Saint with that spirit with which they were performed.”
We continue – ST FRANCIS at COURT and his MARRIAGE until
the DEATH of the EMPRESS – his “DAMASCUS MOMENT”:
We reached Francis’ 18th year and his entry into the life of the Court. “He considered his duty to his Prince, as his duty to God and although he willingly accepted, every mark of his Prince’s regard for him, he was very solicitous in all things to refer himself, his actions,and whatever he received from God, purely to the Divine honour. …” https://anastpaul.com/2022/10/10/saint-of-the-day-10-october-the-childhood-and-youth-of-st-francis-borgia-sj-1510-1572-confessor-and-a-note-on-monthly-patrons/
Francis, although he delighted chiefly in the company of the most virtuous, was courteous and obliging to all, never spoke ill of anyone, nor ever suffered others to do it in his presence.
He was a stranger to envy, ambition, gallantry, luxury and gaming – vices which are often too fashionable in Courts and against which he armed himself with the utmost precaution.
He not only never played but would never see others playing, saying that a man commonly loses by it four things – his money, his time, the devotion of his heart to God and his conscience.
One of his servants discovered, that on the days on which he was obliged to visit company in which ladies made a part, he wore a hair-shirt. In him it appeared, that there is no readier way to gain the esteem of men, though without seeking it, than by the heroic practice of Christian virtue.
Nothing is so contemptible even amongst men of the world, as insolence, pride, injustice, or anger; nothing so hateful as one who loves nobody but himself, refers everything to himself and makes himself the centre of all his desires and actions.
Nor is there anything more amiable than a man who seeks not himself but refers himself to God and seeks and does all things for God, and the service of others; in which Christian piety consists.
The wicked themselves, find no more solid comfort or protection in affliction, than the friendship of such a person; even those who persecute him,because his virtue is a censure of their irregularities, nevertheless admire in their breasts that sincere piety which condemns them. This is more conspicuous when such a virtue shines forth in an exalted station. It is not, therefore, to be wondered that Francis was honoured and beloved by all the Court, particularly by the Emperor, who called him the miracle of Princes!
… The Empress had so great an esteem for him and so high an idea of his merit, that she fixed her eye on him to marry Eleanor de Castro, a Portuguese lady of the first rank, a person of great piety and accomplishments, her principal favourite, who had been educated with her and whom, she had brought with her out of Portugal.
The marriage was solemnised in the most Christian manner, to which state the Saint brought the best preparation – innocence of life with unsullied purity and an ardent spirit of religion and devotion.
The Emperor on that occasion created him Marquis of Lombay and Master of the Horse to the Empress and having had experience of his wisdom, secrecy and fidelity, not only admitted him into his Privy-Council but took great delight in conferring, often privately, with him upon his most difficult undertakings and communicated to him his most important designs. …
In 1537, being at the Court, which was then at Segovia, he fell ill of a dangerous quinsy, in which he never ceased praying in his heart, though he was not able to pronounce the words.
These accidents were Divine graces which weaned Francis, daily more and more, from the world; although, whilst it smiled upon him, he saw the treachery, the shortness and the dangers of its flattering enjoyments, through that gaudy flash, in which it danced before his eyes.
… God blessed his marriage with a numerous and happy offspring – five boys and three girls: Charles, the eldest, who was Duke of Gandia, when Ribadeneira wrote the life of ourSaint; Isabel, John, Alvarez, Johanna, Fernandez, Dorothy and Alphonsus. Dorothy died young as a Poor Clare at Gandia; the rest all married, enjoyed different titles and posts of honour,and left families behind them.
St Francis was much affected, in 1537, by the death of his intimate friend, the famous poet, Garcilas de Vega, who was killed at the siege of a castle in Provence.
The death of the pious Empress Isabel, happened two years after, on the 1st of May, 1539, whilst the Emperor was holding the states of Castile at Toledo, with the utmost pomp and magnificence. His majesty was much afflicted by the loss of so virtuous a consort.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Lombay, were commissioned, by him, to attend her corpse to Granada, where she was to be buried.
When the funeral convoy arrived at Granada and the Marquis delivered the corpse into the hands of the Magistrates of that City, they were on both sides, to make oath that it was the body of the late Empress.
The coffin of lead was, therefore, opened and her face was uncovered but appeared so hideous and so much disfigured that no-one knew it and the stench was so noisome that everyone made, what haste he could away.
Francis not knowing the face, would only swear it was the body of the Empress because, from the care he had taken, he was sure no-one could have changed it upon the road.
Being exceedingly struck at this spectacle, he repeated to himself:
“What is now become of those eyes, once so sparkling?
Where is now the beauty and graceful air of that countenance
which we so lately beheld?
Are you her sacred majesty, Donna Isabel?
Are you my Empress and my lady, my mistress?”
The impression which this spectacle made on his soul remained strong and lively during the thirty-three years by which he survived it, to his last breath!
Returning that evening from the Royal Chapel to his lodgings, Francis locked himself in his chamber and passed the whole night without a wink of sleep. Prostrate on the floor, shedding a torrent of tears, he said to himself,
“What is it, my soul, that I seek in the world?
How long shall I pursue and grasp at shadows?
What is she already become, who was lately so beautiful, so great, so much revered? This death which has thus treated the imperial diadem, has already levelled his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent, to prevent its stroke, by dying now to the world that at my death. I may live to God?”
AnaStpaul 