THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT PHILIP NERI
The Patron of Comedians, Laughter and Joy
Feast Day: May 26
"There is no purgatory in this world. Nothing but heaven or hell."
The founder of the Oratory of Saint Philip of Neri aka the Oratorian Fathers was born in the Republic of Florence (present-day Florence, Italy) on July 22, 1515. From infancy and on account of his docility, he was called Pippo Buono, meaning 'good little Philip.' He 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.
After a mystical experience at the age of 18, he sets out for Rome to pursue his theological studies. He was regarded as a promising scholar, when suddenly he sold his books and began to take care of the street children.
With his sense of humor, he would go to the marketplace to speak about the love of God. His customary greeting was: 'Well brothers, what shall we begin to do good?'
In 1548, together with his confessor, Persiano Rossa, he founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents, with the primary purpose of serving the pilgrims and the sick. Among his favorite devotions were the Quarantore (Forty Hours of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament) and the Seven Churches Walk.
On the Pentecost Vigil in 1544, as he was praying at the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, a globe of fire entered through his mouth and enlarged his breast. He was filled with such abundance of the Holy Spirit that he exclaimed: 'Enough, Lord! I can bear no more!'
Philip ordained a priest at the age of 36; and the same year, he founded the Congregation of the Oratory. Philip had the grace of reading the thoughts of his penitents, and effected an enormous number of conversations.
After spending the whole morning in the confessional, he would hold spiritual conferences, mostly on the lives of saints, followed by visits to churches or attendance at vespers. One day after reading the life of St. Francis Xavier, he wanted to volunteer for the foreign missions. But his spiritual director assured him that his Indies were in Rome. Often times, while celebrating Mass, he would fall into an ecstasy.
Philip spent the last days of his life hearing confessions, then he gave the final blessing and said: 'Last of all, we must die.'
Philip died in Rome at the age of 79 on May 26, 1595 in Rome. Beatified on May 11, 1615 by Pope Paul V and canonized a saint on March 12, 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, Philip Neri is the patron of writers, artists, comedians, laughter and joy, and the United States Army Special Forces aka the Green Berets.
