St. Pius V, April 30

St. Pius was born of the noble but fallen family of the Ghislieri, A.D. 1504, at the little village of Bosco, in the north of Italy, and received in baptism the name of Michael. His parents were in such poverty that the boy's education was necessarily imperfect and there seemed no human hope of his being able to carry out the desire of his heart, which was to consecrate himself to God in the religious state. One day, however, two Dominican Friars chanced to pass through Bosco and were so struck by the intelligence and angelic appearance of the young Michael that they proposed to take him with them to their Convent of Voghera. There he was enabled to pursue his studies, and at the age of sixteen was clothed in the habit of the Order, being known in religion by the name of Michael Alessandrino, Alessandria being the town nearest to Bosco. After having completed his studies and received holy orders, he was employed for sixteen years in teaching, and, much against his will, was compelled to accept the office of Prior successively in various Convents of the Order.

In the year 1543 he was appointed Inquisitor for the district lying on the borders of Switzerland and Italy, which he was to defend against the inroads of the Protestant heretics, who were seeking to spread their pestilential errors over the fair plains of Lombardy. Father Michael showed the utmost courage and intrepidity in the discharge of his office and succeeded in escaping the ambushes laid for him by the heretics, who continually sought his life. After some years he became Commissary of the Holy Office of the Inquisition and had to fix his residence in Rome. Pope Paul IV. raised him to the dignity of Bishop of Sutri and Nepi, a small diocese in the neighbourhood of Rome, silencing the remonstrances which the humility of the Saint suggested by an imperative command henceforth to accept without raising any difficulties whatever might be imposed on him for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. In 1557 the same Pontiff made him Cardinal by the title of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, and soon afterwards supreme and perpetual Inquisitor of Christendom. Pius IV., who succeeded Paul IV. in the chair of Saint Peter, translated him to the more important see of Mondovi.

On the death of Pius IV. he was elected as his successor in the January of 1566, mainly through the influence of Saint Charles Borromeo. It was with the utmost difficulty that he could be induced to accept the tiara; at length, however, in a voice choked by his sobs, he gave his consent, and assumed the title of Pius V.

His manner of life after his elevation to the chair of Saint Peter relaxed in no way from the simplicity and regularity of his former years. Adhering as far as possible to the rule of his Order, he rose every day at dawn and recited the Divine Office, after which he spent several hours in mental prayer before entering on the transaction of business. He celebrated Mass every day, and every evening recited the Rosary and the Litany of our Lady with his entire household. During the Carnival he was accustomed to visit the Seven Churches on foot, singing psalms as he went along or rapt in prayer for the members of his flock, exposed during those days of license to so many temptations to evil. He used to visit in person the hospitals of the city, and loved to minister with his own hands to the wants of their suffering inmates. His tenderness for the poor was touching to behold, and an English Protestant was converted by seeing him kiss the feet of a miserable being covered with wounds.

His pontificate was marked by several important events, especially by the memorable victory of Lepanto, which rescued Europe from the danger then threatening her from the successful encroachments of the Turks. The complete destruction of the Ottoman fleet was divinely revealed to him at the moment at which it took place; and in gratitude for this great deliverance he established the annual festival of Our Lady of Victories (afterwards changed to the festival of the Rosary), and added the invocation "Help of Christians" to the Litany of Loreto.

His lot was cast in the sad and troublous times immediately following the so-called "Reformation." He found himself, therefore, compelled to take part in the political and religious disputes of that unhappy period. He had to protect the Church with the utmost firmness from the attacks daily made upon her by open enemies as well as by disaffected or ambitious princes. He hesitated not to excommunicate the powerful English Queen, Elizabeth, and did all in his power to console and encourage her unfortunate victim, Mary Stuart.

Saint Pius revised and published the Catechism of the Council of Trent and enforced its decrees; he also caused the Breviary and Missal to undergo a careful revision and established greater uniformity in the Church Liturgy, which hitherto had varied much in different countries. Nor was the Holy Pontiff less energetic in the promotion of virtue and the restoration of order in his own dominions, which he purged of banditti, extending his just severity to all public sinners, whom he banished from the city of Rome under pain of corporal punishment.

When he felt his end approaching, he resolved, in spite of extreme pain and weakness, to visit the holy places of the Eternal City for the last time. In the course of this pilgrimage, which he insisted on performing on foot, some English Catholics were pointed out to him, driven from their country by the fury of Elizabeth. He caused their names to be taken down, that he might provide for their needs, exclaiming, "O Lord my God, were it in my power, how willingly would I shed my blood for them all!"

His holy and happy death took place on the 1st of May, A.D. 1572, after a pontificate of six years three months and twenty-four days. He lies buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Numerous miracles have been worked through his intercession. He was beatified by Clement X., A.D. 1672, and canonized by Clement XL, A.D. 1712.

Prayer

O God, who wast pleased to elect the Blesssed Pius to the office of chief Pontiff for the defeat of the enemies of Thy Church and the restoration of Divine worship, grant that we may be defended by his watchful guardianship, and be so intent upon Thy holy service, that, overcoming all the wiles of our enemies, we may enjoy eternal peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source:

Fr. John Procter, O.P. Short Lives of the Dominican Saints. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1901