Saint Philip Neri
Jul 26th, 2006 by Br. Joshua
Sweetest of Fathers
Still a layman at this time, he spent several years in Rome performing all kinds of good works - especially in the hospitals, in catechizing youth, and providing for pilgrims - before he was ordained a priest in 1551, under obedience to his spiritual director. He was almost 36 years old, a “delayed vocation” in the extreme by the standards of the day, but without the least difference in priestly zeal and vigor from his priestly counterparts. He was especially zealous for the sacrament of penance, to which he drew untold numbers by his constant availability and wise but gentle manner of uplifting sinners to the joy of life in Christ. From the initial group of frequent penitents came the future disciples of “Padre Messer Filippo,” who gave themselves up entirely to him in obedience. Thus were planted the seeds of the future Oratory.
