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Saint Francis Borgia
Saint Francis Borgia

Saint Francis Borgia

Feast Day
Oct 10, 2012
Patronage
Against Earthquakes, Portugal, Rota, Marianas
<p>St. Francis Borgia was born in Valencia, on October 8<sup>th</sup>, 1510.&nbsp; His father was Juan Borgia, the third Duke of Gandia, and the grandson of Pope Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia.&nbsp; His mother was Juana, daughter of Alonso de Aragon, the Archbishop of Zaragoza.&nbsp; His brother also became a clergyman, becoming the Bishop of Malaga, and then the Archbishop of Zaragoza.&nbsp; He was a pious child, and wanted to become a monk, but his family sent him to serve the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. &nbsp;</p> <p>At the age of sixteen, he married Eleanor, a noblewoman from Portugal.&nbsp; They had eight children.&nbsp; In 1539, he convoyed the corpse of Isabella of Portugal, Phillip II of Spain&rsquo;s mother to her burial place in Granada.&nbsp; Seeing the death of a beautiful empress, he decided to never again, serve a mortal master.&nbsp; However, being 29, he was made viceroy of Catalonia, and upon the death of his father, became the 4<sup>th</sup> Duke of Gandia.&nbsp; Now at the age of 33, he and his wife Eleanor and their family, devoted their lives entirely to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>In 1546, his wife Eleanor died, and Francis entered the Society of Jesus, a Jesuit Order.&nbsp; He provided for his children, and renounced his titles, his oldest son taking over, and became a Jesuit Priest.&nbsp; Because of his high birth and fame as a Duke, he was immediately offered a Cardinal&rsquo;s hat.&nbsp; He declined, preferring a life as a preacher.&nbsp; He became the Jesuits commissary general in Spain, the third Father General or Superior General of the Society of Jesus. &nbsp;</p> <p>St. Francis Borgia died on September 30<sup>th</sup>, 1572 in Rome.&nbsp; He was beatified in 1624, by Pope Gregory XV, and canonized in 1670 by Pope Clement X.&nbsp; His relics were transferred to the Jesuit Shrine in Madrid, Spain, where they can be venerated today. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Francis Borgia was born into nobility, and was destined to become the Duke when his father passed.&nbsp; His desire was to serve the Church, but that would not happen until later.&nbsp; He married, and had 8 children.&nbsp; Upon the death of his wife, he relinquished his titles over to his oldest son, to take over as Duke, and he joined the Jesuit order.&nbsp; He became the 3<sup>rd</sup> Superior General of the Society of Jesus.&nbsp; His life shows us that by following the will of God, we can be fulfilled.&nbsp; He not only served his duty as a nobleman and became the Duke of Gandia, but also upon the death of his wife, handed those reigns over to his oldest son, and became a Jesuit Priest and their Superior General. &nbsp;</p>