St. Philip Neri
Patron Saint of Joyful Hearts
– Born in 1515 in Florence.
– St. Philip Neri was ordained a priest in 1551.
– Feast Day of St. Philip Neri is May 26
– St. Philip Neri founded the “Oratorians”
– St. Philip Neri is the patron saint of Joyful Hearts. He dedicated his life bringing God’s joy to the – poorest citizens of Rome in the 1500’s.
– St. Philip Neri was a priest of Rome, and a renowned pastor and confessor in his own time, who had special care for the poor children of the city, founding for them a school and later a college.
– He also instituted the Visit to the Seven Churches – a pilgrimage that took people from all walks of life on long treks to visit the ancient basilicas in the Roman countryside.
– St. Philip was a reformer his commitment to the salvation of souls returned to be a priority for the Church; once again, the Church recovered its understanding that pastors have to be with their people to guide and support their faith.
– Philip Neri was a mystic-in-action. He reported that once at prayer in 1544 he saw a globe of fire enter his mouth and set his heart a flame that permanently afflicted him. The saint did his best to hide his mystical phenomena, but sometimes his ecstasies at Mass lasted so long that the acolytes could leave for an hour’s break.