10 Things about St. Philip Neri that Caught My Eye Today (His Feast Day, May 26)

10 Things about St. Philip Neri that Caught My Eye Today (His Feast Day, May 26) May 26, 2015

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2. In Magnificat today, from St. Philip Neri:

One of the most excellent means of obtaining perseverance is discretion; we must not wish to do everything at once, or become a saint in four days….

3. In the Catholic Herald across the pond:

He was said to have had an all consuming love of God, and in order to concentrate before offering Mass, St Philip would need to hear jokes or read humorous anecdotes which distracted him just a little from total absorption in the glory of God, so that he was able to concentrate on the task at hand, which was to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

St. Philip Neri, pray for us, that we might be joyful!

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6. Writing to those who follow his Oratorian way today, 500 years after his birth, Pope Francis says Philip Neri was:

“a guide for many people, announcing the Gospel and dispensing the Sacraments. In particular, he dedicated himself with great passion to the ministry of Confession, up to the evening of his last day on earth. His concern was that of constantly following the spiritual growth of his disciples, accompanying them in the bitterness of life and opening up to Christian hope. … His spiritual paternity shines through all his work, characterized by trust in people, by his rejection of gloomy and somber tones, by his spirit of festivity and joy, by his conviction that grace does not restrain nature but instead heals, strengthens and perfects it”.
The Apostle of Rome also remains as “a shining model of the permanent mission of the Church in the world. The perspective of his approach to others, bearing witness to all the love and mercy of the Lord, can constitute a valid example for bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful. From the very first years of his presence in Rome, he undertook an apostolate of personal relations and friendship, as the ideal route to opening up to the encounter with Jesus and the Gospel. … He loved spontaneity, shunned artifice, chose the most enjoyable methods to educate in Christian virtues, and at the same time offered a healthy discipline that implied the exercise of will to welcome Christ in the fabric of one’s life. His profound conviction was that the path to sanctity was based on the grace of an encounter with the Lord, accessible to any person … who welcomes him with the wonder of children.
“The permanent state of mission of the Church requires that you, the spiritual children of St. Philip Neri, do not settle for a mediocre life; on the contrary, in the school of your Founder you are called upon to be men of prayer and witness to draw people to Christ”, concludes the Pope. “In our times, especially in the world of the young who were so dear to Fr. Philip, there is a great need for people who pray and who know how to teach others to pray.

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PLUS: 10 Things St. Philip Neri Might Say to You Today.

UPDATE: Ok, here are two more, both flashback posts. One from Fr. Roger Landry — because you can’t beat 100-fold generosity.
Another, from Dominican Br. Philip Neri Reese, who as of this past Friday is Father Philip Neri!


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