Saint Philip Neri
Saint Philip Neri was born in Florence, Italy, in the year 1515. He was the
oldest son of Francis Neri and Lucretia Soldi, both descendants of Tuscan
families. He was kind hearted as a kid and soon became known as Philip the
Good - "the good Pippo." As a child, he studied philosophy and later he took
a comprehensive course in theology. With fourteen companions, he created
the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity for looking after pilgrims and
convalescents. The members met for Communion, prayer and other spiritual
exercises in the Church of San Salvatore, and Philip himself introduced the
idea of having exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at least once a month.
At these devotions, Philip preached, even though he had not yet become a
priest. In 1550, he transferred this Confraternity to the Church of the Holy
Trinity, and built a new hospital. His work continued and in 1551, he was
ordained a priest at the age of thirty-six.
As a newly ordained priest, Philip continued his spiritual conferences to
ever-increasing numbers, who came seeking his guidance and help. In a short
time, several priests and young clergymen associated themselves with him.
They began to aid him with his conferences and in reading prayers and
meditations to the people of the Church of the Holy Trinity. This small
group soon became known as an Oratory, because at certain hours each day,
they would gather the people together for prayer and meditation. Therefore
they laid the foundation of a new religious society. In 1564, when Philip
had formed his congregation into a regular community, he had several of his
young clergy men ordained to the priesthood.
Saint Philip lived to be eighty years of age. In the year 1595, he was
struck by an unusual violent fever and was confined to his bed for the
entire month of April. Cardinal Caesar Baronius game him Extreme Unction and
Cardinal Frederick Borromeo, an intimate friend, brought him Holy Viaticum.
His entire congregation
oldest son of Francis Neri and Lucretia Soldi, both descendants of Tuscan
families. He was kind hearted as a kid and soon became known as Philip the
Good - "the good Pippo." As a child, he studied philosophy and later he took
a comprehensive course in theology. With fourteen companions, he created
the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity for looking after pilgrims and
convalescents. The members met for Communion, prayer and other spiritual
exercises in the Church of San Salvatore, and Philip himself introduced the
idea of having exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at least once a month.
At these devotions, Philip preached, even though he had not yet become a
priest. In 1550, he transferred this Confraternity to the Church of the Holy
Trinity, and built a new hospital. His work continued and in 1551, he was
ordained a priest at the age of thirty-six.
As a newly ordained priest, Philip continued his spiritual conferences to
ever-increasing numbers, who came seeking his guidance and help. In a short
time, several priests and young clergymen associated themselves with him.
They began to aid him with his conferences and in reading prayers and
meditations to the people of the Church of the Holy Trinity. This small
group soon became known as an Oratory, because at certain hours each day,
they would gather the people together for prayer and meditation. Therefore
they laid the foundation of a new religious society. In 1564, when Philip
had formed his congregation into a regular community, he had several of his
young clergy men ordained to the priesthood.
Saint Philip lived to be eighty years of age. In the year 1595, he was
struck by an unusual violent fever and was confined to his bed for the
entire month of April. Cardinal Caesar Baronius game him Extreme Unction and
Cardinal Frederick Borromeo, an intimate friend, brought him Holy Viaticum.
His entire congregation
Bibliography: 1. Bowden, Henry Warner. Dictionary of American Religious Biography. Greenwood Press, Westport, 1977. 2. Butler, Alban. Butler 's Lives of the Saints. Harper and Row, San Francisco, 1985. 3. Carlson, John, Ed. The Saints: A Concise Biographical Dictionary. Hawthorn Books, New York, 1960. 4. Foley, Leonard, Ed. Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1974. 5. World Book Encyclopedia. Field Enterprises, Chic