Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

St.Philip Neri at the High Altar
The Fire of Joy ^ | 00/00/00 | Paul Turks

Posted on 05/27/2002 1:55:20 PM PDT by Lady In Blue

St. Philip Neri at the High Altar

(from The Fire of Joy, Paul Türks)

When Philip became a priest, the Council of Trent had been meeting for six years. One of its chief and necessary tasks was the reform of the clergy. Jesuits had returned from missionary journeys in Italy with shocking reports. There were priests who had purchased their offices with a gift to the bishop, and who then mumbled an unintelligible gibberish at the altar instead of Latin. The morals of Roman priests were the subject of jokes all over Europe. In Rome itself priests rarely wore priestly attire, competing instead with the most elegant laity in wearing the latest and showiest fashions.

The Council required all candidates for the priesthood in Rome to take an examination. This posed no difficulty for Philip. Persiano Rosa had overseen his preparation. Now in San Girolamo he had free room and board, with no salary to be sure, but plenty of freedom just what he needed. Now he celebrated holy Mass daily, and this daily celebration was itself something unusual, even at San Girolamo. It should be said that it was precisely the possibility of celebrating the sacrifice of the Mass and this privilege alone that had drawn Philip to the priesthood - and yet had terrified him.

In San Girolamo Philip asked to celebrate the last Mass of the day, which was near noontime. The reason for this was more than his desire to leave the morning free for hearing the many confessions which soon became his major apostolate. The real reason was his desire to celebrate Mass with as few people present as possible - ideally alone. At that late hour he could celebrate at the high altar, where no one would be able to see his face. This unusual practice of Philip’s pointed to a characteristic that was very deep in Philip and that he always wished to keep hidden, but which shone forth in his whole life: his deep devotion to the Eucharist, his love for the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. This love was already apparent in his prayer before the Lord in the monstrance at the Forty Hours’ Devotion. It showed itself also in the spread of the practice of frequent, even daily Communion, which Cacciaguerra and Philip encouraged. How much the Eucharist meant to him is indicated by the number of witnesses in the Process of Canonization who remarked upon it.

No one who had attended a Mass celebrated by him could forget the experience. His closest friends saw it as an act of providence that the last day of his life was the feast of Corpus Christi. (When Cardinal Berulle, founder of the French Oratory, made the Eucharist and the priesthood the essential points of his spirituality, he was placing something supremely ‘Philippine’ at the foundation of his community.) For Philip the Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament meant submission to Christ. Conversion, turning to Christ and giving one’s love to Him, seems to have been a characteristic trait of church renewal and reform in Philip’s time. Meeting with Christ and making a decision for Him are the central points of the ‘Spiritual Exercises’ of Ignatius of Loyola. Submission to Christ was also taught and lived by the new Orders that had arisen in northern Italy and were now beginning to operate in Rome: the Theatines, the Somaschi, and the Barnabites. Philip was to lead men back to Christ in a personal way - as the apostle of the confessional. It began simply and without ostentation. As if it were the most self-evident thing in the world, Bacci, after giving his account of Philip’s priestly ordination, adds simply: ‘He undertook the task of hearing confessions.’

Certainly the task of hearing confessions and giving spiritual direction became characteristic of Philip’s priesthood, indeed literally to the last day of his life. Bacci writes that early in the morning, as soon as the church was open, Philip went down to his confessional. Now and then he would walk in the church or outside in the fresh air, praying his Rosary or reading from a book until someone came wishing to confess, when he would return instantly to his post. More and more people began to come to him, and before long, ‘he had heard a number of confessions in his room before the first light of morning’. So as to lose no time, he left the key near the door, and those who wished to confess in the early hours knew about it and let themselves in. His confreres in later life sometimes worried about his tireless work in the confessional. He made short work of their objections. ‘Hearing confessions is no strain at all for me, but rather, a recreation.’


Newsletter #25 & 26

Return to Una Voce Netsite


TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; joyful
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last
St.Philip Neri's Memorial was May 26.
1 posted on 05/27/2002 1:55:20 PM PDT by Lady In Blue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Catholic_list;nickcarraway;SMEDLEYBUTLER;history_matters;Siobhan
ping.
2 posted on 05/27/2002 1:59:51 PM PDT by Lady In Blue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue

Bumping this beautiful article on 05-26-04.


3 posted on 05/26/2004 2:51:53 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: *Catholic_list; father_elijah; nickcarraway; SMEDLEYBUTLER; Siobhan; Lady In Blue; attagirl; ...
Saint of the Day Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Saint of the Day Ping List.

4 posted on 05/26/2004 2:53:41 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue; american colleen; sinkspur; Salvation; Polycarp IV; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; ..
Thanks for this great post on St. Phillip Neri!

The morals of Roman priests were the subject of jokes all over Europe. In Rome itself priests rarely wore priestly attire

Lol! Could have been written this year.

5 posted on 05/26/2004 3:30:54 PM PDT by NYer (Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light! (2Cor 11:14))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue

BUMP


6 posted on 05/26/2004 3:35:21 PM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

See, the church has gone through this before and survived.


7 posted on 05/26/2004 3:37:33 PM PDT by Desdemona (Music Librarian and provider of cucumber sandwiches, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary. Hats required.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: NYer; Desdemona

OH, horrors. And this was at the time of the "blessed" Council of Trent. LOL!


8 posted on 05/26/2004 4:57:58 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue

**The reason for this was more than his desire to leave the morning free for hearing the many confessions which soon became his major apostolate. The real reason was his desire to celebrate Mass with as few people present as possible - ideally alone. At that late hour he could celebrate at the high altar, where no one would be able to see his face. This unusual practice of Philip’s pointed to a characteristic that was very deep in Philip and that he always wished to keep hidden, but which shone forth in his whole life: his deep devotion to the Eucharist, his love for the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. This love was already apparent in his prayer before the Lord in the monstrance at the Forty Hours’ Devotion. It showed itself also in the spread of the practice of frequent, even daily Communion, which Cacciaguerra and Philip encouraged.**

A confessor and someone with an outstanding devotion to the Blessed Sacrament -- boy, do we need more priests like that today.

BTW, please pray for my son.


9 posted on 05/26/2004 7:17:53 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Thank you very much,Salvation. I had forgotten that today is his feast day.


10 posted on 05/26/2004 8:11:01 PM PDT by Lady In Blue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Bump.


11 posted on 05/26/2004 8:11:36 PM PDT by fatima (My Granddaughter Karen is Home-WOOHOO We unite with all our troops and send our love-)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Salvation,I will keep your son in my prayers. What is his name?


12 posted on 05/26/2004 8:16:12 PM PDT by Lady In Blue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: Salvation

PLEASE PING ME!!!!!!!!!!


14 posted on 05/27/2004 3:40:13 AM PDT by fishbabe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: All; Lady In Blue

BTTT on the feastday of St. Philip Neri, May 26, 2005.


15 posted on 05/26/2005 6:20:55 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue; Siobhan; Canticle_of_Deborah; broadsword; NYer; Salvation; sandyeggo; ...
His closest friends saw it as an act of providence that the last day of his life was the feast of Corpus Christi.

St. Philip Neri died in 1595, and the feast of Corpus Christi fell on May 25. The Saint died early in the morning of the next day, May 26, which is now his feast day. This year, the traditional date for the Feast of Corpus Christi and St. Philip's feast day fall on the same day, which I think is very appropriate, given his love for the Eucharist.

16 posted on 05/26/2005 6:30:53 AM PDT by Pyro7480 ("All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady." - Tolkien)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480

Thanks for pinging people to the thread.


17 posted on 05/26/2005 6:36:14 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Bump.


18 posted on 05/26/2005 6:52:45 AM PDT by LisaFab
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue
Thank you, Lady In Blue! Heaven's Host of Roman Rite Catholic Saints kneel in tribute to the eternal presence of the One True Church on Earth. Praise His Holy Name now and forever!!!

Terri Schindler-Schiavo, please forgive us.
Our Lady of La Salette, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church and Protector of the Faithful,
pray for us.
Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us.
Pope Saint Gregory the Great, pray for us.
Pope Saint Pius V, pray for us.
Pope Saint Leo the Great, pray for us.
Pope Saint Pius X, pray for us.
Saint Padre Pio, pray for us.
Saint Athanasius, fierce fighter of the Arians, pray for us.
Saint Clare, the great apostle of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, pray for us.
Sister Maria Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart, pray for us
Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, pray for us.
Father Gommar DePauw, pray for us.
Father Paul Wickens, pray for us.
Saint Michael the Archangel, protect the faithful from the snares of the disciples of Lucifer in disguise, and
bring ruin to those who intimidate, oppress, imprison, torture, and murder His faithful servants
throughout the world.

19 posted on 05/26/2005 8:41:42 AM PDT by Robert Drobot (Da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480
This year, the traditional date for the Feast of Corpus Christi and St. Philip's feast day fall on the same day, which I think is very appropriate, given his love for the Eucharist.

Also, this year is the Year of the Eucharist! The Lord works in mysterious ways.

20 posted on 05/26/2005 9:26:07 AM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-37 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson