Priest encouraged lay involvement

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	St. Philip Neri When: 1515-1595 Where: Rome What: Priest Feast: May 26 Patron: Rome Canonized: 1622

Imagine a saint who wore comical outfits and outlandish disguises, shaved only half his face and staged practical jokes. That saint was Philip Neri, a 16th century priest renowned for evangelization and for calling on the gifts of the laity during the Counter-Reformation.

Philip was born in Florence, and educated there by Dominicans. When he was 18, his father sent him to San Germano to live with a wealthy relative who probably would have left his business to the young man.

But Philip had a conversion and decided to go to Rome. He lived in an attic, tutored his landlord's children and earned enough money to buy bread and olives.

At first, he studied theology and philosophy, but abruptly decided he'd rather be with people. He stood on corners talking to passers by, making witicisms such as "He who wishes to pray without mortifying himself is like a bird trying to fly before it has grown feathers" or "Never try to evade the cross that God sends you, you will only find a heavier one."

He easily made friends and soon convinced young Florentines working in banks and shops to go with him to visit the sick and the major basilicas in Rome. In 1544, while visiting the catacombs, he had a vision in which a ball of fire entered his mouth and dilated his heart. (An autopsy showed he had broken ribs that let his heart vary considerably in size.)

Four years later, he and his confessor began the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity to care for the sick and help pilgrims. They also popularized 40-hour devotions in Rome.

In 1551, Philip finally agreed with his spiritual director that he should become a priest and was ordained. He spent much of his time hearing confessions and giving spiritual direction. Philip lived with a group of priests in a community where they rang a small bell to invite lay people to join them in prayer.

These evening sessions of prayer and spiritual reflection were built around a theme. One person - often a lay man - made a presentation and the others responded. This raised eyebrows and Philip was accused of having laymen preach and of singing vernacular hymns (the composer Giovanni Palestrina, 1525-1594, wrote for them).

Fortunately, Philip had influential friends, including Ss. Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Charles Borromeo and Francis de Sales, who reassured Vatican authorities.

That was the origins of the Oratorians, a society of priests Pope Gregory XIII approved in 1575. Oratorian priests made no vows because, Philip said, "If you want to be obeyed don't make commandments."

Philip spent the next 20 years in the work of the Oratorians, including building a church at a site donated by the pope. He sometimes would have long mystical experiences at Mass during which the liturgy was suspended until he returned to normal consciousness.

Finally, one day Philip celebrated Mass, heard confessions, saw visitors, then had a massive stroke and died the next day.