Page "Ambrosians" Paragraph 9

In some sense also " Ambrosians " are the members of a diocesan religious society founded by St Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan.

All priests or destined to become priests, they took a simple vow of obedience to their bishop.

The model for this was a society that already existed at Brescia, under the name of " Priests of Peace ".

In August 1578 the new society was inaugurated, being entrusted with the church of the Holy Sepulchre and given the name of " Oblates of St.

Ambrose.

" They later received the approbation of Gregory XIII.

St Charles died in 1584.

These Oblates were dispersed by Napoleon I in 1810, while another group called the Oblates of Our Lady of Rho escaped this fate.

In 1848 they were reorganized and given the name of " Oblates of St. Charles " and reassigned the house of the Holy Sepulchre.

In the course of the 19th century similar groups were founded in a number of countries, including the " Oblates of St Charles ", established in London by Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman.