BIOGRAPHY OF

ST.FRANCIS BORGIA
He was born within the Duchy
of Gandia, Valencia on
October 28,1510.He was the
son of Juan de Borgia and
Joana of Aragon.
His family sent him to the court
of Emperor Charles V. Francis
distinguished himself
there,accompanying the
Emperor on several
campaigns.
 He married Eleanor de Castro
Melo e Menezes a Portugese
noblewoman in Madrid on
September 1526. Francis had 8
children Carlos, Isabel, Juan,
Alvaro, Juana, Fernando,
Dorotea, and Alfonso.
 In 1539, Francis convoyed the
corpse of Empress Isaballe of
Portugal to her burial place.It is
said that, when he saw the effect
of death on the Empress Francis
decided never to serve a mortal
master again.
 Francis was made Viceroy of
Catalonia, and administered the
province with great efficiency.His
true interests lay elsewhere. When
his father died the new Duke of
Gandia retired to his native place
and led, with his wife and family, a
life devoted entirely to Jesus Christ
and the Holy Catholic Church.
In 1546 his wife died and he was determined to
enter the newly formed Society of Jesus.He
renounced his titles in favor of his eldest son
Carlos and became a Jesuit priest.Because of his
high birth, abilities and fame, he was
immediately offered a cardinal’s hat.This
however, he refused, preferring the life of an
itinerant preacher. In time, his friends persuaded
him to accept the leadership role that nature and
circumstances had destined Francis for: in 1554,
he became the Jesuits’ commissary-general in
Spain;and in 1565, the third Father General or
Superior General of the Society of Jesus.
His successes have caused
historians to describe Francis
as the greatest general after
St.Ignatius of Loyola.He
formed the Colegium
Romanum.
The Colegium Romanum, which
was to become the Gregorian
University, dispactched missionaries
to distant corners of the globe,
advised kings and popes, and
closely supervised all the affairs of
the rapidly expanding order.Yet,
despite the great power of his
office, Francis led a humble life,and
was widely regarded in his own
lifetime as a saint.
Francis Bogia died on September
30,1573. He was cannonized on
June 20, 1670 by Pope Clement
X. His feast day is celebrated on
October 10.