October 10 - Saint Francis Borgia
Quick Facts- Born to the nobility, great-grandson of Pope Alexander VI; grandson of King Ferdinand of Aragon; son of Duke Juan Borgia.
- Raised in the court of King Charles V and educated at Saragossa.
- Married Eleanor de Castro in 1529, and the father of eight children.
- Accompanied Charles on his expedition to Africa, 1535, and to Provence, 1536.
- Viceroy of Catalonia, 1539-1543.
- Duke of Gandia, 1543-1550.
- Widower in 1546.
- Friend and advisor of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
- Joined the Jesuits in 1548.
- Ordained in 1551.
- Notable preacher.
- Given charge of the Jesuit missions in the East and West Indies.
- Commissary-general of the Jesuits in Spain in 1560.
- General of the Jesuits in 1565.
- Under his generalship the Society established its missions in Florida, New Spain and Peru, and greatly developed its internal structures.
- Concerned that Jesuits were in danger of getting too involved in their work, he introduced their daily hour-long meditation.
- His changes and revitalization of the Society led to him being sometimes called the "Second Founder of the Society of Jesus".
- He worked with Pope Saint Pius V and Saint Charles Borromeo in the Counter-Reformation.
