St. Philip Neri

For my Uncle Phil -

Today we will explore the joyful life of St. Philip Neri. Philip was born in 1515 in Florence, Italy, the son of Nobility. He had a playful sense of humor and considered a cheerful disposition to be more Christian than a melancholy one. "A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one."

At the age of 18, he was sent to his uncle, Romolo, a wealthy merchant, to help him with his business. His family also hoped that he would inherit his uncle's fortune. Soon afterwards, Philip had a religious conversion and no longer cared for the things of this world. In 1533, he decided to move to Rome. Once there, he began his missionary work among the poor and the sick that earned him the title "Apostle of Rome."

In 1548. along with his confessor, he founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents  to minister to the needs of the thousands of poor pilgrims who flocked to Rome, especially in jubilee years, and also to relieve the patients discharged from hospitals but who were still too weak for labor. In 1551, Philip was ordained a priest and considered going to India as a missionary. He was dissuaded by friends who saw that there was abundant missionary work to be done right there in Rome.

He settled at the Hospital of San Girolamo della Carità, where he and his companions founded the institute with which his name is more especially connected, that of the Oratory. The scheme at first was no more than a series of evening meetings in a hall (the Oratory), at which there were prayers, hymns, and readings from Scripture, the church fathers, and the Martyrology, followed by a lecture or by discussion of some religious question proposed for consideration. Members undertook mission work throughout Rome, notably preaching sermons in different Churches every evening. Philip sometimes led “excursions” to other churches, often with music and a picnic on the way.

Philip Neri died on May 25, 1595 at the age of 79. He is a Patron Saint of Rome,  US Special Forces, Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest,  laughter, humor, joy - among other things. His feast day is May 26.