Philip Neri

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Philip Romolo Neri (

Congregation of the Oratory
.

Early life

Philip was the son of Francesco di Neri, a lawyer, and his wife Lucrezia da Mosciano, whose family were nobility in the service of the state. He was carefully brought up, and received his early teaching from the friars at San Marco, the famous Dominican monastery in Florence. He was accustomed in later life to ascribing most of his progress to the teaching of two of them, Zenobio de' Medici and Servanzio Mini. At the age of 18, in 1533, Philip was sent to his uncle, Romolo, a wealthy merchant at San Germano (now Cassino), a then Neapolitan town near the base of Monte Cassino, to assist him in his business, and with the hope that Philip might inherit Romolo's fortune.[1] Philip did gain Romolo's confidence and affection, but during his stay he also experienced a religious conversion. From then onward, Philip no longer cared for the things of this world. In 1533, he left San Germano to live in Rome. [2]

Founding of the Oratory

Philip Neri
Virgin Mary, by Tiepolo

Mission work

After arriving in Rome, Philip became a tutor in the house of a Florentine aristocrat named Galeotto Caccia. After two years he began to pursue his studies (for three years) under the guidance of the

Society of Jesus.[3]

Confraternity of the Holy Trinity

In 1548, together with his

Forty Hours of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was first introduced into Rome.[6]

The Oratory

In 1551, Philip received all the

Giovanni Palestrina was one of Philip's followers and composed music for the services.[7] The program developed, and the members of the society undertook various kinds of mission work throughout Rome, notably the preaching of sermons in different churches every evening, a completely new idea at that time.[2] He also spent much of his time hearing confessions and effected many conversions in this way.[4]

In 1564 the Florentines requested that Philip leave San Girolamo to oversee their newly built church in Rome,

Ancina, Bordoni, and other men of ability and distinction. In 1574, the Florentines built a large oratory or mission room for the society, next to San Giovanni – to save them the fatigue of the daily journey to and from San Girolamo, and to provide a more convenient place of assembly – and the headquarters were transferred there.[2]

As the community grew, and its mission work extended, the need for a church entirely its own made itself felt, and the small parish church of

superior general over several dependent houses, so he desired that all congregations formed on his model outside Rome should be autonomous, governing themselves, and with no provision for Philip to retain control over any new foundation they might themselves make elsewhere – a regulation afterward formally confirmed by a brief of Gregory XV in 1622.[2]

Political activity

Philip Neri, as painted by Guercino in 1656

Although Philip refrained from becoming involved in political matters, he broke this rule in 1593–1595 when he persuaded Pope

Calvinism. Philip saw that the pope's attitude was more than likely to drive Henry to relapse and rekindle the civil war in France, and directed Caesar Baronius, a member of the Oratory who was then the pope's confessor, to refuse the pope absolution and to resign the office of confessor unless the pope withdrew the anathema. Clement yielded at once, though the whole College of Cardinal had supported his policy; and Henry, who did not learn the facts until several years afterward, testified lively gratitude for the timely and political intervention. Philip continued in the government of the Oratory until his death. He was succeeded by Baronius.[8]

Personal character

Philip Neri embodied several contradictions, combining popular veneration with intensely individual piety. He became deeply involved with the Church while seeking to reform a corrupt Rome and an indifferent clergy.[7]

Philip possessed a playful sense of humor, combined with a shrewd wit. He considered a cheerful temper to be more Christian than a melancholy one, and carried this spirit into his whole life: "A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one." This was the secret of Neri's popularity and his place in the folklore of the Roman poor. Many

Benedict XIV, who reorganized the rules for canonization, decided that Philip's enlarged heart was caused by an aneurysm. Ponnelle and Bordet, in their 1932 biography St. Philip Neri and the Roman Society of His Times (1515–1595), conclude that it was partly natural and partly supernatural. What is certain is that Philip himself and his penitents associated it with divine love.[6]

"Practical commonplaceness," says Frederick William Faber in his panegyric on Philip, "was the special mark that distinguishes his form of ascetic piety from the types accredited before his day. He looked like other men. ...He was emphatically a modern gentleman, of scrupulous courtesy, and sportive gaiety, acquainted with what was going on in the world, taking a real interest in it, giving and getting information, very neatly dressed, with a shrewd common sense always alive about him, in a modern room with modern furniture, plain, it is true, but with no marks of poverty about it – in a word, with all the ease, the gracefulness, the polish of a modern gentleman of good birth, considerable accomplishments, and widespread knowledge."[9]

Accordingly, Philip was ready to meet the needs of his day to an extent and in a manner which even the versatile Jesuits, who much desired to enlist him in their company, did not rival; and, though an Italian priest and head of a new religious order, his genius was entirely unmonastic and unmedieval – frequent and popular preaching, unconventional prayer, and unsystematized, albeit fervent, private devotion.[9]

Philip prayed, "Let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow."[7]

Philip had no difficulties in respect of the teaching of his Church. His great merit was the instinctive tact that showed him that the system of monasticism could never be the leaven of secular life in the world of his day, but that something more homely, simple, and every day in character was needed for the new times then emerging.[9]

Death and veneration

Philip Neri's effigy at his tomb

Philip Neri died around the end of the day on 25 May 1595, the Feast of

Corpus Christi that year, after having spent the day hearing confessions and receiving visitors.[10]
About midnight he began hemorrhaging, and Baronius read the commendatory prayers over him. Baronius asked that he bless his spiritual sons before dying and, though he could no longer speak, he blessed them with the sign of the cross and died.

Philip Neri was beatified by Paul V in 1615 and canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.[6] His memorial is celebrated on 26 May. His body is venerated in the Chiesa Nuova ("New Church") in Rome.

Philip Neri is one of the influential figures of the Counter-Reformation and is noted for converting to personal holiness many of the influential people within the church itself.[7]

Philip is

commemoration on 26 May.[11]

Legacy

The Oratory

Main article: Oratory of Saint Philip Neri

The congregation Philip Neri founded is of an original stamp, little resembling a monastery of the older type, and its rules (not drawn up by Philip Neri, but approved by Pope Paul V in 1612)[12] leave considerable freedom of action compared with traditional religious foundations.[9]

Statue of Philip Neri in Congregados Church, Braga, Portugal

The Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri is a pontifical society of apostolic life of Catholic priests and lay brothers who live together in a community bound together but without formal vows. They are commonly referred to as Oratorians (Oratorian Fathers). Oratorians commit themselves to membership in a particular, independent, self-governing local community (an Oratory, usually named for the place in which it is located). In some locations, the local Oratory has been designated to administer a particular parish; others may be tasked with campus ministry.

The French Oratory

Main article: Oratory of Jesus

The Oratory movement spread in the early period, especially in Italy. In France, a separate and distinct foundation from the

Superior General. Early members included Nicolas Malebranche, Louis Thomassin, Jules Mascaron and Jean Baptiste Massillon. Suppressed at the French Revolution
, it was revived by Pierre Pététot, curé of St Roch, in 1852, as the "Oratory of Jesus and Mary Immaculate".

Music

Philip Neri encouraged the singing of the Lauda spiritual (

laude) in his oratory services. The prominent composers Tomás Luis de Victoria and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina probably participated in this music.[14] The result of Philip's approach was undoubtedly a unique and varied aesthetic experience. [15]

Seven Churches Walk

Philip sometimes led "excursions" to other churches, often with music and a picnic on the way.

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.[16][17]

The tradition of visiting all seven churches was started by Neri[18] to combine conviviality and the sharing of a common religious experience through discovering the heritage of the early saints. Neri drew up an itinerary that included visits to St. Peter's Basilica, then St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, St. Sebastian's, St. John Lateran, Holy Cross-in-Jerusalem, St. Lawrence-Outside-the Walls, and finally St. Mary Major. He and a few friends and acquaintances would gather before dawn and set out on their walk. At each church, there would be prayer, hymn singing, and a brief sermon by Neri.[19]

A simple meal was pre-arranged at the gardens of the Villa Mattei. The Mattei family opened their grounds for pilgrims to rest and provided them with bread, wine, cheese, eggs, apples, and salami. During these "picnics", musicians would play and singers would perform.

The street which links Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls with San Sebastiano fuori le mura is still called "Via Delle Sette Chiese" (Seven Churches Walk). These pilgrimages were designed to be a counterpoint to the raucous behavior of Carnival.[19] The Walks became very popular and began to attract others. From this developed the custom of visiting seven churches on Maundy Thursday. In Rome, the Seven Church Walk is traditionally done on Wednesday of Holy Week.

In popular culture

Johnny Dorelli played Philip Neri in a 1983 Italian movie State buoni se potete.

Gigi Proietti played Philip Neri in a 2010 Italian movie made for television, Saint Philip Neri: I Prefer Heaven.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "St. Philip Neri". www.ewtn.com. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Chisholm 1911, p. 389.
  3. ^ a b c Ritchie 1911
  4. ^ a b Walsh 1991, p. 157.
  5. ^ "San Salvatore in Campo". romafelix.com. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  6. ^ a b c "Addington, Raleigh (of the London Oratory), Saint Philip Neri" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  7. ^ a b c d e Miller, Don (2016-05-26). "Saint Philip Neri". Franciscan Media. Archived from the original on 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  8. ^ Chisholm 1911, pp. 389–390.
  9. ^ a b c d e Chisholm 1911, p. 390.
  10. ^ Walsh 1991, pp. 157–158.
  11. ^ "The Calendar". The Church of England. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  12. ^ Ingold 1911.
  13. ^ Britannica: "Oratorian" Retrieved August 17, 2016,
  14. ^ Smither.
  15. ^ Danieli 2009.
  16. ^ "Visiting the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome – ZENIT – English". zenit.org. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  17. ^ "Catholic News Herald - Catholic News Herald". www.catholicnewsherald.com. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  18. ^ Schneible, Ann. "Visiting the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome", Zenit, November 12, 2012
  19. ^ a b ""St. Philip's 'Picnic'", The Pontifical Congregation of the Oratory". Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2017-11-24.

Sources

Attribution:

Further reading

External links

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