Oratory

of

Saint Philip Neri

The spiritual Path

July 2015 Contents

Preface 4

Chapter 1 St. Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri 5 Pippo Buono 5 From San Germano to Rome 5 Asceticism of St. Philipp 6 The Virgin Mary in the Life of St. Philip 7 The Mission of St. Philip 8 A. The Mission of Service 8 B. The Mission of Evangelization 9 C. The Secular Mission 9 D. The Mission of bringing Joy 10

Chapter 2 The Oratory

The Oratory 10 A. Oratorian Exercises: The Method 11 B. Informal Discourse on the Word of God 12 C. Charitable Works 12 D. Other Exercises 13

Chapter 3 The Congregation of the Oratory

Origins 13 Society of Apostolic Life 14 Family Life 14 Community Life without Vows 15 Charity, the only Bond 15 Stability and Responsibility: Specific Vocation 16 Autonomy 17 Originality of the form of Government 18

2 Chapter 4 Philipian Spirituality

Philipian Spirituality 19 Charity 19 Humility 20 Mortification 22 Freedom of Spirit 22 Joy 24 Poverty 24 Work 25 Chastity 26 Obedience 26

Chapter 5 Means to spiritual Perfection

The Oratory = Place of Prayer 1. Familiar discourse on the Word of God 28 2. Prayer 28 Frequenting the Sacraments: Eucharist and Reconciliation 1. Eucharist 29 2. Reconciliation 30 Devotion of Mary 30 Study of the Sacred Scriptures and Preaching 1. Study 31 2. Preaching 31

Chapter 6 The Oratory, current status of its presence in the world

Current Status 32 Conclusion 33

3 Preface

Ever since God gave St. Philip Neri to His Church, this saint has had a powerful influence and great appeal. „He exercises a genuine attraction… In him the spirit of modem times is embodied and personified...”1 The lifestyle of Philip and his disciples is original and appealing. St Philip’s charisma is multifaceted and it cannot be summarized in a word or a single phrase.

The exercises of the Oratory of St. Philip originate from the experiences and everyday life of St. Philip and of his disciples, and express a rich spirituality and way of life which brings back the spirituality of the early Christians. It is a lifestyle for diocesan priests who are entrusted with the care of souls.2

This short text will attempt to identify the most important phenomena which demonstrate what the Holy Spirit gave to his Church through St. Philip, through the experience of a simple lifestyle, permeated with the love of God and neighbor.

It is important to clarify what distinguishes and characterizes the Congregation of the Oratory so that it may be presented to young people who want to devote themselves to God and to their brothers and sisters; young people who choose from among varied ways to work within the Church, where the Holy Spirit is always present in a variety of his gifts and charisms.

It is important for the members of the Oratory to learn about the origins and traditions of the Oratory, because better understanding will promote their own spiritual development, as well as their own family life, apostolic works, and guidance of others.

We Oratorians want to be a sign of God’s presence in the modem world and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church, just as St. Philip was for his own time.

In the contemporary world, rich with possibilities but also fraught with the temptations of materialism and self-complacency, the Oratory is called to bring the Gospel and offer genuine love, simplicity, joy and prayer.

To be aware of one’s own charism as a gift of the Holy Spirit, to value it, strengthen it and proclaim it, is also for the Oratory an indispensable means of making a true contribution to the Church’s mission in the world, and of spreading the Kingdom of God in the variety of his gifts.

May the Lord help us to be a living example like St. Philip, and to spread His gospel in a unredeemed World.

1!Faber,!F.!The$Spirit$and$Genius$of$St.$Philip.!Lambert:!London,!1850 2!Presbyterorum!Ordinis. 4 Chapter 1 St. Philip Neri

1. St. Philip worked in the Church in very difficult times. The Holy Spirit worked through him in an extraordinary way for moral reform and for a deep revival of the faith.

2. Even today, his spirituality, originality, spontaneity, teaching, lifestyle and the joy that surrounded him inspire both admiration and the motivation to make a serious commitment to face religious issues, as well as making a commitment to love God and to do good to one’s neighbor. Philip’s authentic following of the Gospel is apparent in the way he put virtues and apostolic zeal into practice. The spontaneity of his spirit is still astonishing. He lived the transcendent with total naturalness and turned his faith into a fount of joy and community. In his wisdom and through his teachings, St. Philip successfully communicated his experience to his many disciples and spiritual children.

Pippo Buono 3. Philip was born with a very charming nature, and a neutral goodness filled with grace. He was known as Pippo Buono (Good little Phil). Philip was like rich, blessed soil where his family, which was very religious, sowed seeds. For him it was a joy to pray, sing, and recite the psalms with his sister. The attraction to the divine was present in him from early childhood. As he grew older, the Holy Spirit only increased Philip’s capacity to receive spiritual gifts.

4. No doubt, his visits to the Dominican convent of San Maine in Florence contributed greatly to his religious development. The spiritual songs which were performed in the prayers and liturgy of San Marco gave him great joy. These were popular songs using everyday language which lifted up his spirit and filled him with happiness. The sermons on Sundays excited his interest as they enlightened his mind and inflamed his heart with the Word of God The burning and pugnacious spirit of Savonarola wafted through San Marco, as well as the gentle, holy images painted by the Blessed Angelico.

From San Germano to Rome 5. Philip may have gone to San Germano at his father’s bidding, due to the family’s economic hardships. He is not a person for half measures, but one for total commitment. Being close to the Benedictines simulates and increases his sense of urgency to make a choice, to give a sense to his life. On the Montagna Spaccata (split mountain), close to Gaeta, there was a chapel dedicated to the Holy Trinity. This natural wonder, this crevice in the mountain jutting out over the sea, where the gaze is drawn toward the infinite, fills him with mystery and immerses him in God. His meditation leads him to see the emptiness of what the world offers him. He did not feel that he was born for commerce nor for any other profession that ties the heart to business.

6. With the ardor of his being eighteen, obedient to the call of the Holy Spirit, he decides to enter into the total service of the Lord. He felt a strong attraction for the hermetic life, and saw his own life reflected in that of the Fathers of the Desert, men who, he felt, were like himself. But the 5 Lord did not call him to a solitary life; rather he will be put into the midst of a world full of contradictions, in a city so troubled as to make one’s head spin. God called him to this city to bring peace, serenity, and the spirit of reflection and prayer, for the conversion of the heart.

7. In Gaeta he makes a radical and decisive choice. He leaves for Rome. He does not quite know what he is going to do. He lets the Holy Spirit guide hint.

8. In the home of the Caccia family, while waiting for the Lord to show him what to do, he starts his apostolate by sowing the seeds of God’s love in the uncontaminated hearts of his host’s young sons. Meanwhile, he lives by prayer and penance and continues his academic studies. He begins to comprehend the miseries of Rome: people consumed by all sorts of vices, by poverty and misery, illness and abandonment. This misery was partly a consequence of the sack of Rome in 1527. His heart is full of sadness and compassion. The fire of the Holy Spirit burns inside him. He even sells all his books to help others. Philip becomes a pilgrim visiting the Churches of Rome, and he speaks about God on the streets. At night he retires to the catacombs of St. Sebastian, alone with God. In that quietness, far away from the din of the city, he renews his energy. During the vigil of Pentecost in 1544, the Holy Spirit fills him with fire: Philip’s ribs break when his heart expands to let in the Holy Spirit. He becomes a fire-brand of Divine love. This constitutes the central event of Philip’s life: this is his Pentecost.

9. Philip reflects on the difficult situation in which Christ’s Church struggles. He meditates on the evangelical life of the first Christians „who had but one heart and one soul.” Worried about this, he finds consolation only in the Lord; Philip’s resolve is strengthened to make his humble contribution to revive the evangelical spirit and Christian life. Prayer and limitless faith in God are his sustenance. Philip is constantly in communion with God, who is for him a Father, by whom he feels loved as a son. He often says, „Lord, make of me what you know and will…”. Philip’s profound, natural sensitivity, the spirit of prayer and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit make St. Philip an exceptionally human apostle; free, totally dedicated to the good of his brothers and sisters, in absolute faithfulness to the Church of Christ.

Asceticism of St. Philip 10. As a youth, Philip lived in his native city of Florence, where an atmosphere of political intrigue and violent power struggles prevailed. Perhaps because of this, when Philip left for San Germano, he left his native city without any sense of regret. In fact, Philip felt no nostalgia for Florence and never returned there.

11. His spirit began to yearn for higher things. His heart was not attached to wealth, glory, or any worldly power. His homeland was heaven. It’s not states at birth that counts but the way one lives. It is not where they are born that makes Saints but how they live and where they die. As a young man, Philip already heard Jesus beckoning: „So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 13:33); „Then Jesus told his disciples: If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” (Matthew 16:24-26).

6 12. These are words that St. Philip certainly must have heard many times at San Maine from the religious who left everything for the Lord, words that resound in his own contemplative spirit. When his father shows him a diagram of his family tree, Philip demonstrates how little his ancestors interest him. He tears it up before his father’s eyes: „It is better to have our name written in the tree of life“. This conviction accompanies him all his life. Two months prior to his death, Pope Clement VIII wants to nominate Philip cardinal, and when Bernardino Corona advises him „to accept, for the benefit of the Congregation,” Philip responds by throwing the Cardinal’s hat into the air, exclaiming „Paradiso! Paradiso!” Philip knew that one cannot serve two masters: the world and the Lord. He chooses the Lord and renounces everything the world has to offer him: wealth, glory, high civil or ecclesiastical rank. EVERYTHING IS VANITY. He knew that by choosing Christ he was choosing the right way to love and serve the world.

13. Philip arrives in Rome without any worldly wealth, as his true wealth was his limitless faith in Divine Providence, and the wealth of virtues that he carries within himself. Thus, he is truly free: „Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body mom than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”(Matthew 6:25-26) „I know in whom I have trusted”; Philip’s faith in divine providence, in poverty and in detach- ment towards material things is the guide for simplicity of lifestyle that he practiced in his life as lay person and afterwards as a priest. His lifestyle, the humble garments that he wore with decorum and cleanliness and his famous shoes, were living sermons, especially in Rome where luxury and worldliness were flaunted everywhere.

14. A fundamental tenet of St. Philip’s life was the mortification of „the understanding”.3 While touching his forehead, he would say that „sanctity lies within the space of three fingers.” He continued to repeat this principle of spiritual life, which he believed to be essential for genuine progress towards spirituality. For Philip, the discipline of the mind is much more important than that of the body, because this is how we liberate ourselves from the egotism inherent to the argumentative force of reason, though personal initiative should not be discouraged. For example, one should willingly abandon even a seemingly well- founded opinion when others disagree, as long as the subject is not a matter of conscience, but of common judgment or opinion. According to St Philip, this mortification of the understanding must be the basis not only of the personal and apostolic life of his disciples, but also of the „family and democratic” life of the Congregation which he inspired.

The Virgin Mary in the Life of St. Philip 15. From his infancy, St. Philip was raised with a tender devotion to Our Lady. It is significant that his father, upon his death, had only a few books and two portraits, one depicting Our Lady. Philip was known for how familiarly he referred to Mary, as his „mamma.” Philip had a poetic

3! Translator’s! Note:! The! word! „Razionale“! is! translated! in! „understanding“.! MorGficaGon! of! the! „Razionale“! means! avoiding! pride! of! intellect,! arguing,!stubbornness!in!will!of!spirit,!and!lack!of!submission!to!superiors.!Cf.!PonellePBordet,!St.$Philip$Neri$and$the$Roman$Society$of$his$Times,! published!by!Sheed!and!Ward,!1979!ediGon,!pp.!584P585.!Cf.!also!Spiritual$Path,!104P105. 7 spirit and „sang” his filial love for her; those close to him were deeply inspired by his filial affection toward Mary. „Be devoted to Our Lady, believe what I say: Be devoted to Our Lady.”

16. Mary is to him a mother and role model. From her he learns obedience to the work of the Holy Spirit like Mary, he will always and only strive for the glory of God. She is for him, above all, the Mother of Christ, the Mother of God.

17. In Oratorian practice the Holy Virgin holds a privileged place: songs, prayers, exhortations. He teaches us to repeat: „Virgin Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.”

18. Philip had great faith in her intercession. Philip always turned to Mary when he felt he was in serious need. His Congregation’s Church was dedicated to her, and was named Santa Maria della Vallicella. Philip wanted an image of Our Lady put in every altar of the church. And in fact, Our Lady was always close to this son of hers. During the illness before his last, Philip saw the Virgin who came to console him in his suffering: „Did you see her? Did you see the Virgin that came to take away my pain?” he asked his doctor.

The Mission of St. Philip 19. The Holy Spirit that comes to Philip in such an extraordinary manner in the catacombs confirms and strengthens his resolve to give himself completely to the mission to which God has called him.

A. Mission of Service 20. In Philip’s time, sick people who went to the hospital were cared for there by their own relatives. But many either had no relatives, or were abandoned. While still a layman, Philip visits the poor and abandoned sick and provides for their needs, assisting even in the most humble ways: he makes the beds, cleans the sick, speaks with them, keeps vigil over and comforts the dying. His kindness and the joyful spirit in which he serves transforms his actions into a true evangelization.

21. The necessity to do something to relieve such misery leads Philip to found the „Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity.” This organization is dedicated to assisting impoverished and abandoned sick people; and shelters and assists pilgrims, especially during the pilgrimage for the Holy Year of 1550. The members of this brotherhood met regularly, and all of them dedicated themselves to charitable work without expecting any wind of pay; their activities were supported by alms alone. As a layman, Philip found courage and genuine support in this apostolic work from Father Persiano Rosa, his confessor and spiritual director.

22. To his friends and acquaintances, to the young people that he met, to the beggars, to shopkeepers and to laborers, Philip speaks with passion about those things that really matter in life, he speaks about God, the only one who can give peace to the spirit. „He becomes a tireless apostle in the public square.“4

4!PonellePBordet,!IntroducGon,!page!X. 8 23. Philip begins to hold prayer meetings. Among his first friends and attendees are the musicians Francesco Bernardi and Pietro Luigi Palestrina; Francesco Maria Tarugi, who later became an Oratorian; the poet Agostino Manni and Cesar Baronius, author of the famous Annals of the History of the Church. He invites everyone to serve God: „Brothers, when shall we begin to do good?“

B. The Mission of Evangelization 24. With charitable works and prayer meetings, Philip communicates the gifts of the Holy Spirit which so enlarged his heart; he brings human and spiritual encouragement, and makes the love of God known to people through his informal discourse on the Word of God.

25. In his meetings, Philip kinds the way for people to find God, by discourse on the Word of God and through prayer. In the Church of San Girolamo della Carità where these meetings first began, springs forth and evolves his outstanding innovation: the ORATORY. This innovation gradually takes on ever more stable and greater dimensions, so much so that Philip needs assistants. Thus, almost without even realizing it, THE CONGREGATION OF THE ORATORY is begun. God’s works begin and develop without clamor.

26. The mission of the Church is manifested in this apostolate, the mission given to every Christian through their baptism; the mission of Christ himself, the „royal priesthood,” that St. Peter speaks about. It is Christ’s mission of evangelization and sanctification which is given in this way to all people of good will, whatever their situation, because they are leaven for all human society, for turning it toward Christ. It is a mission that involves both laypersons and priests. This is the mission of Philip, of the Oratory, and of the Congregation of the Oratory.

C. The Secular Mission 27. It is surprising that in the sixteenth century, when evangelization should have been expected to be an exclusively clerical ministry, a single lay person like Philip would do what is by vocation the mission of the entire church. It will take four centuries of reflection for this charism of the laity to be accepted by the Church. A lay person who reflects on the Word of God even in Church, who, like a priest, consecrates himself to the work of God, and who acts as a priest (except that he does not administer the Sacraments), creates strong suspicions in the Church hierarchy. These suspicions at first prevent the continuation of Philip’s work, and are only allayed when the hand of God is clearly seen in that work.

28. The Congregation of the Oratory begins and develops in order to serve Philip’s secular work. St. Philip sees the will of God in the creation of the Congregation of the Oratory. He will always maintain that he never intended to found a congregation, and that the true founder was Our Lady. The Congregation is born as a Clerical Community, to support secular work; and as Philip wanted it is still comprised of secular clergy; distinct from the secular work of the Oratory, but dedicated to its cultural and Christian development.

29. St. Philip did not do things half way. He wanted those who desired to join his Community to remain secular priests, but at the same time he wanted them to have the evangelical spirit of the Religious, as if wanting to make people understand that even the secular clergy are called to follow Christ without reservation, as Jesus Himself said: „If you want to be whole, go, sell your posses-

9 sions, give the money to the poor, then come and follow me.” The Apostles exemplify this teaching of Jesus, since they abandoned everything to follow the Master.

30. Philip had a very free spirit and wanted all gifts to God to be given freely and willingly. For this reason, he did not want his disciples to take vows, but for them to freely and willingly undertake good works; he wanted the life of the Community „be democratically governed, with the Provost being only the first among equals.

D. The Mission of bringing Joy 31. Joy will be the eternal inheritance of the just; but the presence of the Holy Spirit already brings to this life a foretaste of heaven. Our saint was permeated with the Holy Spirit and radiated all around him a deep feeling of joy: „The Lord loves a joyful giver.” For Philip, joy was the same as love. His joy was not an unbalanced human joy, it was a transcendent joy, like a seed planted in fertile, human soil; it was joy in serving the Lord, enjoying God’s work, and desiring to communicate to others his gift of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

32. Happiness is contagious, and is the best discipline to progress in the way of the spirit, while melancholy and sadness are its obstacles. Philip’s cheerful, humorous and genial personality, which also reflected his Florentine temperament, surpasses all expectations of joy: he was overflowing with the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 2 The Oratory

33. The Oratory originated from the meetings and the familiar discourse on the Word of God. „It is by divine design that now, in Rome, emulating the model of apostolic gatherings, there has been a revival of the edifying exercise of talking familiarly about God, commenting on God’s Word, and listening to simple sermons. This is due to the work of Rev. Father Philip Neri, a Florentine, who, like a skillful architect, has laid its foundations. It was organized so that almost every day those who desired to improve themselves as Christians could attend the ORATORY.”5 Baronius actually compares the beginning of the Oratory with the meeting of the First Christian Community.

34. As we saw in the preceding chapter, the Oratory begins in San Girolamo della Carità . St. Philip, who became a priest upon the advice of his confessor, Fr. Persiano Rosa, receives people of all social classes, first in his quarters, and then, due to the increasingly large numbers of participants, in a loft above a nave in the church, which he established as a meeting room or „Oratory.”

35. His meetings are full of vitality and congeniality, the effects of Philip’s charismatic gifts, making the participants think and question, liberating them, and filling them with joy and holy

5!From!the!Annals$of$the$History$of$the$Church$of$Baronius,!cited!by!Meriol!Trevor!in:!The$Apostle$of$Rome,!page!218. 10 resolve. In this way the Oratory of Fr. Philip becomes a place of encounter and of dialogue with his disciples, and the confessional a school of faith and of Christian life.

36. The Congregation, or core clerical body presided over by Philip, would come later, with the objective of perpetuating the work and the functioning of the Oratory, which was made up of the laity for whom it was intended. The „Internal Brothers” who lived communally, were there to serve the „External Brothers.” It seems that our saint’s only intention to form a particular ecclesiastical group was solely for the care and encouragement of the Oratory. „He organized a new form of fraternal apostolate, a school of prayer, in order to achieve a Christian organization that could be projected into everyday life, to be the catalyst to transform the Rome of that time, which is, in fact, what happened.”6

37. The ORATORY is born from the heart and the tireless zeal of Philip, from contact with a man who needs God. He started the Oratory when he was a secular, lay person, with a heart inflamed with love, walking the streets of Rome, speaking about God, about the fleeting nature and vanity of the world. Walking, he sees so much moral misery, so much suffering among the poor and the abandoned sick people. Protestantism promoted a revolution. The Church and Rome in particular needed an apostle. The Holy Spirit sent Philip.

38. The secular oratory is the characteristic work of the Congregation of the Oratory; begun in a time of need for radical moral reform, it is a community of Christians open to the most modern charitable, pastoral, cultural, and recreational initiatives... after having tempered the spirit with prayer and the sacraments. Through time, these methods and ideals have proven to be of great spiritual benefit, creating true Christian communities which serve as leaven in society, bringing joy as well as instruction. This is an original methodology, in which frequent and familiar discussion on the Word of God, prayer, and human contact, bring about the formation of the whole person.

A. Oratorian Exercises: The Method 39. Baronius tells how Oratory meetings began with several minutes of mental prayer, followed by the reading of a spiritual text explained by St. Philip. There followed a „colloquium” on the text, in which each one strafed his thoughts. The lives of the Saints and the writings of the Holy Fathers were discussed in a dialogue format. The meetings were concluded with an invo- cation to Our Lady and a song.

40. It disturbed the ecclesiastical authorities when St. Philip put lay people in charge of commenting on the Word of God. Pope Paul IV thought it was dangerous to permit lay people to preach. But with time everything was cleared up.

41. „The Oratory’s foundation”, wrote Tarugi, „was a central group united under the guidance of a leader and confessor. All that was needed to belong to this community was good will and a spiritual spark.” „The great novelty of the Oratory was its spontaneity and the work that the lay people did. Philip spoke very little. Philip possessed the rare gift of bringing out talents in others that they didn’t even know they had. He didn’t give orders, but he did give everyone penances to

6!Laus,!1987,!no!242,!page!139. 11 deflate egoism; this was nonetheless the basis of the group’s order. He didn’t direct the Oratory but rather was its inspiration.7

B. Informal Discourse on the Word of God 42. Discussing the Word of God was primary in the Oratory since its beginning: a conversation held in simplicity, in a comfortable environment, where no one felt like a stranger, where everyone tried to make the others happy, creating a favorable space to receive the Word of God.

43. Bacci affirms that Philip had a deep understanding of the Holy Scriptures, because of his habit of reading and meditating. He receives the words of Paul to his disciple Timothy as if they were directed to him, and puts them into practice: „But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from who you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching.” (2 Tim 3:14-15; 4: 1- 2)

44. The Oratory has always held in high esteem familiarity with and meditation on the Word of God; proclaiming the Good News was the principal means of renewal of Christian life. Philip’s originality in proclaiming the Word of God stemmed from his desire not to be a theoretician of the Bible, instead he communicated his soul, and the experience that the Holy Spirit had given him. Tarugi affirmed: „Our primary duty is to talk to the heart ”.8

45. It was preferred to have meditation on the Word of God that came alive and was recounted in the history of the Church, and was incarnate in the life of the Saints. Through this kind of meditation, the Word of God creates brotherhood and, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, makes of us our neighbors’ servants.

46. In his old age, Philip feels nostalgia for the Oratory’s early era of „naivete“, when the orators, priests and lay people alike, were possessed of a spontaneous fire and a great faith, as if in a new Pentecost.

C. Charitable Works 47. St. Philip had started his mission helping the needy. Upon his example, the brothers of the Oratory also dedicated themselves to works of charity. This was the fruit of meditating on the Word of God. It is not possible to know God as Father and experience universal brotherhood without feeling the suffering of others as if it were our own. Charitable works were a means of putting into practice everything that was learned; they were signs of conversion; they were the „words” that became „life”.

48. Spending as much time as possible, taking turns, the brothers of the Oratory walked through the hospitals attending the sick, helping with even the most humble needs, bringing

7!M.T.!po.!cit.!pages!91P92. 8!PonellePBordet,!op.!cit.!page!392. 12 words of consolation; they went to visit needy families; this was their concrete and physical way to testify to their faith.

D. Other Exercises 49. Along with Philip, the Oratory continued the exercise of the „Visit to the seven churches.” It was a testimony of faith transformed into a proclamation of the gospel, especially for those who no longer attended church, and saw these innovative processions. Participants included every class, poor and rich alike, common people and dignitaries, lay people and clergy. They prayed, sang, and meditated. If we think about the times when all this happened, and in a chaotic, godless Rome, we can imagine how much courage was needed to participate in these unusual processions. During these manifestations of faith, it seemed as if the times had returned when Jesus taught the crowds, walking along with the Apostles and the many who followed Him.

50. Walks were very frequent; they were healthy recreation that allowed the body and the spirit to breathe in fresh air, „mens sana in corpore sano,“ a way to regain strength, to bring peace into the midst of so much anxiety, a way to rejoice, thanking the Lord for the wonders with which he surrounds us. This was the pedagogy of St. Philip, to teach people that the source of joy is the presence of God within ourselves: „Be happy, you need only not sin”.

51. St. Philip used music a great deal to help Sacred Scripture to be better known and especially to attract young people. For this, he made use of the oldest lauds and popular songs. Then Father Philip encouraged the numerous musicians who gathered around him to produce musical works specifically to be sung in the course of the sermons of the Oratory. Some years after Philip’s death, in 1600, there was the first performance of „The Dialogue between the Body and the Soul” by Emilio Dei Cavalieri, as the first “Musical Oratorio.”

Chapter 3 The Congregation of the Oratory

Origins 52. Since Philip’s small chambers were not big enough to accommodate all who gathered around him, he occupied the loft in the Church of San Girolamo della Carità. The benefit that came from the Oratorian exercises caused Philip to gather around himself a nucleus formed by the better speakers. The necessity of providing for the needs of those who wanted to be ordained priests induced Philip to accept the responsibility of the Parish of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, but the difficulties with the Florentines who owned the Church gave Philip the idea of having a Church and place of his own for the Oratory.

53. The Congregation of the Oratory officially began in 1575, by a Papal Bull, when the group living at San Giovanni was transferred to the Vallicella. Thus, this Community, formed to sustain the work of the Oratory, having become conscious of their mission, began to formulate its fundamental principles and its constitution. The new Congregation was consolidated in 1583, with the writing of the first Constitutions, although they were not yet printed, and with the transfer of Saint Philip from his „nest” in San Girolamo to the Vallicella. Bacci noted: „Tum primum 13 Congregationis corpus, auctiore vinculo colligatum, totum integrum, capite cum membris coniuncto, conspici coepit.“ [Then the first community of the Congregation, gathered by a tighter bond, the head joined with the members, began to be seen as an entire unit].9

54. Philip certainly did not consider himself to have any particular charism as a founder, but his disciples saw the necessity of „perpetuating” the style of life that they had begun, inspired by the ideals that Philip’s lifestyle had shown them day by day.

Society of Apostolic Life 55. As we have seen, the Congregation was created to serve the Oratory and to carry on its work: familiar discourse on the Word of God, religious instruction, prayer and other apostolic and charitable activities, such as visiting the sick in the hospital; all were oriented towards helping individuals to better live the Christian life.

56. The revised Code of Canon Law included the Oratory among the „Societies of Apostolic Life” at the service of humanity and living in the world, as a living witness of the Gospel and a leaven in society and its structures, bringing forth the creation and growth of authentic Christian communities, which are the „light and salt of the earth.” This is the specific purpose and mission of the Congregation of the Oratory.

57. Discussion and meditation on the Word of God is always undertaken while keeping people in mind, in their concrete, everyday reality, helping them and loving them. This is not the monastic life of prayer, but rather a joining of prayer with everyday life; helping people to resolve the problems they face, always in the light of God.

Family Life 58. Our congregation was a family from the beginning, modeled on the life of the early Christian community, „of one heart and one soul.” Its members are all equal, loving each other as true brothers, not for what they do or for what they produce, but for who they are. All participate in and feel responsible for maintaining the Congregation, putting at its disposal all of their own personal attributes and all of the spiritual gifts they have received.

59. „Family life”means that members live in the same house, eat at the same table, and let others participate in their apostolic experiences; they discuss problems and difficulties together, reciprocally help each other in times of need, share times of communal prayer, gather together to „review family life”(Chapter of faults).

60. In this family of St. Philip, the Word of God is heard communally, with mutual charity and fraternal affection that facilitate open discussion in union with God. For this reason, reciprocal affection and empathy with the other family members is very important for the community and for promoting full participation in communal life.

9!M.!Trevor.!op.!cit.!page!129. 14 61. Philip was not against friendship and affection between his followers, but instead welcomed this human energy which makes mutual acceptance possible, as well as the full realization of the person. This is why our communities are not numerous; they are „families” in which „each face is known and loved.”10

62. Every member of the Congregation should feel like a fully participating member of the „family”, including the Lay Brothers, who were part of the Congregation from the beginning, and who enjoyed the respect of the priests, even though, according to the mentality of the times, they were not considered to be at the same level. Father Vincenzo Vettori affirmed, that „no Lay Brother should serve as domestic help to any Father; Brothers should be generous in freely serving the Congregation.”11 Each one must seek the good of all, building it up by example and persevering in carrying it out.

Community Life without Vows 63. St. Philip did not want the Community that was growing before his eyes to become a Congregation with religious vows. He was unyielding on this point. He wrote: „Habeant, possideant” [„they have, they possess”] on a draft of the rules, rectifying what was being proposed.

64. Philip said that whoever wanted to bind himself to God with vows could join the religious institutions already in existence and should go ahead and take the vows, since our members should instead live the vows in spirit through the free and voluntary exercise of the evangelical counsels. Philip wanted that dedication to God would not be determined by a decision taken once for all time, sometimes taken against one’s will, only because vows exist; rather he wanted a continuous act of choosing to freely dedicate one’s life to God.

65. Modifying the wishes of Father Talpa, Philip wrote: „Each member is to possess and retain his own things, seeking to avoid quarreling... .” This is because Philip realized that if a person renounces everything, he also renounces his freedom, and therefore would not be able to leave if he did not have the means of maintaining himself. The freedom to leave was essential; there is no bond other than charity. Nevertheless, the Saint maintained and insistently taught the ideal of unselfishness, and said that no one could consider himself a true disciple if he pursued money and honors, or used his money in a competitive and egotistical way.12

66. The characteristics of the Philipian life are: life and prayer in common, evangelical charity united with freedom and simplicity of lifestyle, and agreeing to help the laity to better live the Christian life.

Charity the Only Bond 67. „Omnia in caritate” [All in charity]. Charity is the virtue that nurtures fraternal unity and, together with humility, sustains the communal life of St. Philip’s followers.

10!Decree!of!April!21,!1587. 11!Provost!of!the!CongregaGon!of!Rome!for!20!years.!He!died!in!1782. 12!M.!Trevor.!op.!cit.!page!164. 15 Father Pietro Consolini wrote: The priests of the Congregation should always enjoy the highest esteem, detached from every type of material interest, not caring about their own comfort and being enemies of individuality, they should not be self-seeking, nor should they strive for honor, but be completely dedicated to prayer and charity...It is characteristic of those affiliated with the Congregation to exercise a type of charity among themselves which is more than fraternal, helping each other without caring about one’s own comfort. Each one ought to practice this form of life, contenting himself above all in alleviating the burdens of his neighbor; in other words, doing everything that corresponds to true and human friendship as this is found in a place governed only by charity. And there is never too much charity; for all who practice charity, having a kindly and loving heart actually helps and consoles all those who have problems; without being concerned for one’s own interest and comfort, but always being willing to acquire this charity at any cost, and practice it toward one’s neighbor, just like the first disciples of our Saint, who were all filled with charity, particularly towards the poor, helping them if possible with alms, even depriving themselves of necessary things, and attending to their needs like a mother does her children, as our holy Father has left so many examples of this kind of charity.13

68. When St. Philip was asked about the rules of the Congregation by a Carthusian monk, he responded: „Charity is the only rule.” It seemed strange to this monk that an entire congregation could be governed with only one rule. St. Philip added, „If it is well understood and lived, this one rule is enough, both for good governance of the Congregation and for personal sanctification. Furthermore, to be complete, it is not enough to obey and honor superiors, but one needs to honor one’s equals and inferiors.14

69. Charity practiced between the members themselves guarantees serenity and solidarity; it is the source of inspiration for whoever feels called to give himself to God; it attracts those outside and serves as a renewed stimulus, especially for those who are committed to apostolic work. It is especially important to practice charity towards diocesan priests, with whom the Oratory has always maintained the best rapport throughout its history. Father Vettori wrote: „Having outside priests celebrating in our churches is very desirable. Trying to diminish this would be opposed to the spirit of the Congregation, which has always supported the uplifting of others and never their rejection.15

Stability and Responsibility: Specific Vocation 70. The absence of vows or promises and the daily giving of oneself require that a disciple of St. Philip must be blessed with maturity and certain specific characteristics: one must be „born”, as it were, to the Congregation.16 To live together, united only by the bond of charity, disciples must have natural propensities and a special grace, as free persons that promise themselves to live a „family life,” to always live this communal lifestyle in the congregation: „The members of the

13!P.!Pietro!Consolini!of!Monte!Leone,!Diocese!of!Fermo.!Joined!the!CongregaGon!in!1590.!Died!a^er!midnight!January!30,!1643.!(„Breve!noGzia! d’alcuni!compagni!die!San!Filippo!Neri![Brief!notes!on!some!of!San!Philip!Neri’s!companions]!by!F.!Giacomo!Ricci;!Brescia,!1706;!From!the!printed! wriGngs!of!the!Heirs!of!Gio:!Maria!Rizzardi.!Pages!132P171). 14!Massime!e!Ricordi.![Sayings!and!Remembrances]. 15!Fr.!Vincenzo!Vefori,!Provost!of!Rome!for!20!years.!Died!in!1782. 16!Cons>tu>ons,!number!57. 16 Oratory give themselves with a free will to the Congregation, with the intention of remaining in it until death.”17

71. A person who enters the Congregation and, after a three-year probation, decides to join, promises to remain until death. The Congregation to which he belongs becomes „his house,” his stable abode, and the members that make up the house are „his family.”

72. The Constitutions permit the transfer from one house to another only for serious reasons. Normally, one remains in the same house and with the same persons until death. One enjoys complete stability, without the usual transfers which are present in other Religious Institutions. Father Faber calls this style of life the „familiar and domestic”character of Oratorian spirituality.

73. Our vocation presupposes a great capacity for self-denial because, „Whoever lives after his own liking does not serve the Congregation,” as Father Consolini wrote. It calls for a clear conscience and a constant commitment to the life one has chosen. It calls for a continual orientation towards service, as Jesus said, „he came not to be served but to serve.”

74. Oratorian communal life asks that its members live united by love, by their lifestyle and through self-denial, which is the fertile ground where all other virtues can grow. Cardinal Newman, a great teacher of the Philipian spirit, said: „Not everyone has the gift of being able to live in community with others. Not all holy souls, and not all good secular priests are able to live in community. Perhaps there are few men capable of this.”18

75. Philipian life fosters a great attachment to „one’s own house,” to „one’s own family,” feeling affection for it and living in it gladly, living well within it If the Community ever becomes a kind of hotel, where one comes and goes. eats and sleeps, and each one does what he wants, it would no longer be a Philipian community.

76. He who loves his own Congregation perseveres in it until death, always looking out for its welfare and the good of his brothers, the common good; he jealously guards the things of the congregation: the apostolic works, and other works and possessions. „Even though the Holy Father was very detached from every earthly thing and desired this in others, he nevertheless wanted them to take care of the things of God.”19 Therefore, what belongs to the Congregation is for the use of all and all ought to make good use of these things, thinking about the present and future of the community. He who truly loves his Congregation strives in every way to promote its continued prosperity.

Autonomy 77. Every house or Congregation is juridically autonomous from other houses.20 The Provost is a Major Superior. Autonomy is an exclusively Philipian characteristic that determines for us how

17!Cons>tu>ons,!number!10. 18!Le@ura$sulla$Vocazione$dei$Filippini![Lefer!of!the!vocaGon!of!the!Philipians],!page!14. 19!Massime$e$Ricordi. 20!„Our!Holy!Father,!through!his!divine!inspiraGon,!has!given!us!rules!that!differ!from!those!of!the!cloisters;!he!absolutely!did!not!want!any!unions! between!his!houses,!but!only!the!union!of!the!spirit,!as!Father!Consolini!writes,“!having!established!that!every!house!should!rule!itself,!and!not!be! joined!with!the!other!houses,!Philip!has!also!made!clearly!known!that!he!doesn’t!want!any!member!to!go!from!one!CongregaGon!to!the!other…“!See! „Pregi$della$Congregazione$dell'Oratorio”!!(Values!of!the!CongregaGon!of!the!Oratory].!Venice.!1825,!Vol.!II.!pages!279P!280. 17 important it is to practice charity in order to keep the members of the community and all the Congregations united. Every congregation is juridically autonomous and governs itself, provided that it has at least three members with voting rights, indicating that it is a collegial house.21

78. Because of this autonomy, as has been said, the vitality of every Congregation depends on the capacity of the members to love and to demonstrate their love.

79. However, this particular characteristic can also constitute a weakness: the possibility of the extinction of a community because of lack of members. Many congregations, even thriving ones from past centuries, are extinct today.

80. The „Confederation”of all the Congregations was created as a defense against this weakness, following the advice of the Cardinal Larraona; the Oratory was no longer a collection of disassociated Oratorian Congregations, at times unknown even to each other, but became an Institute with laws to promote fraternal assistance while at the same time respecting the autonomy of each individual community, with a „Permanent Deputation” that continues to meet and carries out the work of the General Congress and a Procurator General.

81. National or linguistic Federations are also authorized in order to facilitate communication and collaboration between Congregations.

Originality of the Form of Government 82. The Congregation of the Oratory is unique in the way it governs its internal affairs.

83. Before the revision of the Code of Canon Law, it was simply classified among the Societies of common life. Now it is a „Society of Apostolic Life,” even though it is composed of both priests and laymen.

84. It is a FAMILY, in which the Provost, with good reason, has always been simply called „Father.” The members are all „equal“ among themselves, while the Provost is „first among equals.”

85. Communal life is run in a collegial and democratic way. Important decisions are taken by the majority in a full assembly, called the „General Congregation.” Tarugi is attributed with coining the expression, „The Oratory is a well-ordered republic.“

86. The Father Provost is leader. The virtue of obedience, which was so important to St Philip, is practiced as a personal choice and not by virtue of a vow. St. Philip saw in the obedient man a distinct propensity for belonging to the Philipian community, and he did not accept anyone who was not obedient. Naturally, to obtain obedience, it is necessary to know how to command. When Saint Charles asked Philip how he was so successful at making himself obeyed, Philip replied: „Because I command little.”

21!Code!of!Canon!Law.!Canons!115.!+2;!586,!+1,!+2;!Cons>tu>ons,!number!16. 18 87. Father Angelo Saluzzi used to say: „Since we have so few rules left to us by our Holy Father, let us observe these and that is enough… It is necessary to leave everything to serve the Congregation that is our Mother, and in the things that he does, the person ought not to have as a goal so much his own pleasure as that of the public good, because this must always be placed before the private good.22 And on his death-bed he advised: „Let us joyfully do what we do because through this each of us can attain a high degree of perfection.”

Chapter 4 Philipian Spirituality

88. St. Philip’s spirituality is „simple, pure, and soundly evangelical.”23

89. St. Augustine said: „Love and do what you will.” It is in the light of these words that we must see both freedom and the need to practice virtue. It is in the love of God in which our goals, our development, our true happiness, and our complete freedom are realized. True love of God and of our neighbor brings with it the responsibility to live according to his commandments. If someone truly loves God, nothing is more desirable than what He commands us to do.

Charity 90. Charity is the virtue that bonds fraternal union; the pillar that supports communal life, together with humility.

91. The eighth guideline which the Congregation of Rome gave to the nascent Congregation of St. Severino on June 20, 1594, said: „Each one must always remember that this Congregation must be founded on those principles that were so dear to our Lord, given to us through our Father Philip when he founded the Congregation of Rome, which are humility and charity. Profess these two virtues by putting them into practice rather than by words. That blessed Father wanted these to be our fasting and penance, to be practiced in the place of so many other kinds of exercises that the Religious have in the Church of God…”. Father Nicolò Gigli referred to charity saying: „This surpasses all the vows.”24

92. It was said of the first Christians: „See how they love one another.” Gallonio gave witness to the same thing when speaking about the first disciples: „The Fathers lived under the same roof;

22!Provost!of!Rome.!Cf.!„Memorie$Storiche$della$Congregazione$dell’$Oratorio,$di$Giovanni$Morciano”$[Historic!Remembrances!of!the!CongregaGon!of! the!Oratory!by!Giovanni!Marciano],!Naples,!1693,!page!488. 23!Cifadini:!„Spiritualità$dell’$Oratorio“![Spirituality!of!the!Oratory].!Record!of!the!General!Congress!of!1982. 24!Istruzione$per$Esercizi$Spirituali$[lnstrucGons!for!Spiritual!ExercisesJ,!Biella,!1975,!p.!129.!Cf.!also!in!Memorie,!op.!cit.:!„If!we!don’t!have!vows!like! other!religious!orders,!we!do!have!charity,!which!prevails!over!all!vows”(cf.!Memorie,!op.!cit.,!pp.!59P60).! Father!Nicolò!Gigli,!originally!from!France,!„one!of!the!first!sons!of!Saint!Philip“!cf.!Pregi$della$Congregazione$ $dell’$Oratorio$di$San$Filippo$Neri! [Prayers!of!the!CongregaGon!of!the!Oratory!of!Saint!Philip!Neri],!Venice,!1825,!Vol!II.!p.!96.!„First!flower!of! !St.!Philip,!transplanted!from!earth!to! Heaven“!(Memorie,!op.!cit.,!pp.!499P505).!He!died!June!14,!1591. 19 they were but one heart and one soul, and they loved each other with a mutual and ardent and love.”25

93. In order to have a good family life in the community, Father Sozzini from Rome suggested: - Love everyone from the heart - Forgive everyone - Speak well of everyone - Have true sympathy for all and pray daily to God for everyone - Do not say offending words, even with the intention of being clever - Beware of antipathies and moderate them with virtue - Be equally wary of fondness and particular friendships; yet to esteem each other from the

heart is not against charity, and being close to those who are better is most helpful - Make sure that diversity of opinion does not degenerate into factions - Be charitable, joyful, peaceful, and patient during times of recreation - Do not to look for external works of charity if the internal ones at home are not first 26 accomplished.

94. The exercise of Fraternal Correction is very helpful to the growth of charity, fulfilling Jesus’ exhortation. It provides a boost for good progress both in communal life and in spiritual growth. But it must only be a work of charity, guided by the Holy Spirit, as our Holy Father said: „Before correcting anyone, let us reflect on ourselves.”27

95. All St. Philip’s life is interwoven with the love of God and fraternal charity. It was the power that sustained him. „Caritas Christi urget nos.” To his niece, a nun, Philip wrote: „Let us concentrate intensely on His divine love and let us enter deeply into the wound in His side, into the living font of the wisdom of God made man, so as to drown ourselves in Him, and not be able to find again the mad which leaves Him.” Philip said: „He who wants something other than Christ, does not know what he wants; he who seeks something other than Christ, does not know what he seeks; he who acts, and does not act for the sake of Christ, does not know what he is doing.” „Before committing any mortal sin, I would prefer to be torn in pieces and die a cruel death.“28 This radical Christocentrism is a fundamental element in Saint Philip’s spirituality.

Humility 96. „Humility helps us fully detach from egoism, from honors, and from worldly goods, while protecting us from the contamination of the world and stimulating our apostolic work”.29

25!Father!Antonio!Gallonio,!who!joined!the!CongregaGon!in!Rome!on!July!1,!1577,!was!a!great!disciple!of!St.!Philip.!He!wrote!several!Tracts!and!the! life!of!St.!Philip.!He!died!May!15,!1605.!Cf.!also!„Breve$no>zia$d’alcuni$compagni$die$San$Filippo$Neri“![Brief!notes!on!some!of!Saint!Philip!Neri’s! compagnions]!by!F.!Giacomo!Ricci,!Brescia,!1706.!And!cf.!Memorie,!op.!cit. 26!Father!Mariano!Sozzini,!born!in!Siena!on!July!5,!1613.!Admifed!to!the!CongregaGon!May!12.!1641,!with!Father!Pietro!Consolini,!the!Master!of! Novices.! As! noted! above,! cf.! „Vita$ del$ Venerabile$ Servo$ di$ Dio$ Mariano$ Sozzini,$ Prete$ della$ Congregazione$ dell’$ Oratorio$ di$ Roma”$ [Life! of! the! Venerable!Servant!of!God!Mariano!Sozzini,!Priest!of!the!CongregaGon!of!the!Oratory!of!Rome]!Venice,!1751,!p.!90;!cf.!also!Pregi$della$Congregazione$ dell’$Oratorio$di$San$Filippo$Neri![Prayers!of!the!CongregaGon!of!the!Oratory!of!Saint!Philip!Neri),!op.!cit,!p.!162!and!subsequent,!where!each!point!is! commented!upon.!He!died!September!15,!1680. 27!Massime!e!Ricordi.![Sayings!and!Remembrances]. 28!Massime!e!Ricordi. 29!Father!Antonio!Cistellini:!„San$Filippo$e$la$Spiritualità$$dell’$Oratorio,”!in!Le!grandi!Scuole!della!Spiritualità!ChrisGana,!Milano:!Edizioni!O.R.!1984,!p.! 505P517. 20 97. Humility is necessary for prayer, for a genuine dialogue with God. Humility is the attitude of the „Poor of Yahweh” who has placed all his trust in Him, expecting everything from Him. It is like St. Philip who often said: „As you know and want, so make of me, oh Lord.” It is liberation from the bonds of selfishness, and a source of happiness and acknowledgment of the gifts of the Lord.

98. Humility is not infantilism or escape from responsibility; it is being predisposed to learning accepting oneself and having faith in God.

99. Humility is the source of charity that eradicates the poison of pride and the desire to attract attention to oneself. Humility helps the affective and effective integration into the community in which one lives; provides proper nourishment for the supernatural, and brings internal equilibrium and inner peace.

100. Humility requires self-denial and losing oneself, providing service to others and obeying as Jesus did, „who humbled himself, obedient even unto death on a cross.”

101. Thus our Holy Father understood and lived humility, who considered as mere vanity anything that was not the love of God and that did not lead to God. Philip’s acute and witty power of observation, his good sense of humor, and his wise irony are well known and made him laugh at himself and trample down human respect. This was his way of ridding himself of the adornment that disfigures the deep simplicity of being human. Father Consolini admonished: „No one can call himself a true son of St. Philip if he is not humble.”

102. There is a very famous saying of St. Philip’s: „Be humble, lower yourselves.” He often repeated the aphorism attributed to St. Bernard: „Despise the world, despise no one, despise yourself, be indifferent to being despised”; the four maxims for arriving at perfection.30 He said to his sons to above all else be humble… and not to give excuses: anyone who wants to become a saint should never give excuses for himself. Philip would call anyone who gave excuses for himself „Our Lady Eve.” Philip said that a man should look for wisdom, but never show it or boast about it. He also said that when a person has committed some error and is corrected, he should recognize that he committed that error because of his pride, and he should receive correction with complete happiness and humility, and not be melancholic and bitter, because that bitterness would be worse than the error that was committed. Philip also said to not ask the Lord for travails or temptations presuming to be able to bear them, but instead to ask, with total affection, for the grace and strength to joyfully bear everything that the Lord sends to us. He said to never promise Jesus anything good from oneself, but rather he admonished to frequently say: „My Lord, do not expect anything from me but evil.” Every day Philip said to the Lord: „Watch over me today because I will betray you and do all the evil in the world if You do not help me.” He also said, „Anyone who cannot bear the loss of his honor and fame, will not progress in his spiritual life.”

103. St. Philip encouraged everyone to flee from any honor or distinction, and not to be seen as or appear better than others. He urged simplicity in behavior, manner of dress and in the use of means. Father Consolini wrote: „the priests of the Oratory live in holy peace, without caring about

30!Massime$e$Ricordi 21 their own opinions and judgments… obedient to the slightest sign from the Superior, depending on Him with all their hearts; and if they were to give a good example externally, they must first bring about internal BEING rather than external APPEARING.

Mortification lO4. St. Philip said: „Where there is no mortification there can be no great sanctity.”31 „The sanctity of men can fit in the space of three fingers,” he said, touching his forehead.32 The mortification of the understanding and loving God are more valuable than fasting, penance and bodily mortification.”33 Father Alessandro Fedeli says that by using the word „rationale [understanding], our Father meant that a member of the Congregation should restrain himself, overcome his own affections, subdue his passions, never do anything just because he feels like it, without first considering his duty to obedience.“34 Perfection consists in humbling the mind and in subjugating judgment. „My dear sons,” he often said, „mortify yourselves in the little things so that you will be able to mortify yourself more easily in great things.”35 He also said, „Avoid talking about yourself, especially in praise, neither in jest nor seriously, and be sure to avoid pretense”; he advised „patience in trials and in illness, because God always sends consolation. If you run away from a cross that the Lord gives you, you will only find a bigger one waiting ahead.”36

105. Mortification is not taking pleasure in suffering, but it is self-control „for the sake of the Kingdom of God.” Perseverance in virtue depends a great deal on the spirit of mortification, which is part of the cardinal virtue of prudence. Mortification is moderation. It is the very best criterion by which to choose what is most valuable with regard to eternal life. St. Philip said: „If you must give in to excesses, do so in being meek and patient, humble and charitable, for these things are good in themselves.”37 „If anyone comes in from the world to join the Congregation in order to live a true Christian life, and even if he is full of good will, upon entering sees examples of negligence, carelessness, laziness, crassness, gossiping, mockery, vulgarity, backbiting, and hears wealth praised, and does not hear any reprimand of those who, deprived of spirit, pursue worldly things, covet human honors, aspire to tank in the Church, wear luxurious garments and smile at vulgar language, this newcomer suffers an offense and is worse off within the Congregation that when he was in the world.“38

Freedom of Spirit 106. St. Philip’s „freedom” is well-known. This is an integral part of the „Philipian Spirit.” It is the authentic freedom of the children of God, and a gift from the Holy Spirit „the truth will make

31!Istruzione$per$Escrcizi$spirituali![InstrucGon!for!!Spiritual!Exerciscs],!op.!cit.!p.!70. 32!Ibid.!Cf.!also!Pregi!della!Congregazione!dell’Oratorio!di!San!Filippo!Neri![Prayers!of!the!CongregaGon!of!the!Oratory!of!Saint!Philip!Neri],!op.!cit.,!p.! 209. 33!Massime$e$Ricordi. 34!Father!Alessandro!Fedeli!of!Ripa!Transona!(today!called!Ripatransone,!by!Piceno!Ascoli).!One!of!the!first!and!most!obedient!sons!of!St.!Philip,! along!with!Cesar!Baronies!and!Giovanni!Francesco!Bordini,!entrusted!by!the!Saint!to!care!for!San!Giovanni!di!FiorenGni,!at!its!origin.!He!died!October! 27,!1596.!Cf.!Memorie$Historiche,!op.!cit.,!pp.!30,!478P481.!Cf.!also!Cf.!also!„Breve$no>zia$d’alcuni$compagni$die$San$Filippo$Neri“![Brief!notes!on! some!of!Saint!Philip!Neri’s!compagnions]!op.! cit.,!pp.!72P74. 35!Ibid. 36!Massime$e$Ricordi. 37!Ibid. 38!„De$vita$Bea>$Philippi$Neri$et$Ins>tuto$Congrega>onis$Oratorii“,!Book!VII;!by!a!disciple!of!St.!Philip,!with!annotaGons!by!Cardinal!Cesar!Baronius. 22 you free.” (John 8:32) We exercise true freedom when we act in truth, under the guidance of the Spirit and in the love which He gives us. „Freedom, a prerogative of the mature and responsible person, excludes servile submission, and the incapacity for choosing autonomously. It develops in an upright and resolute conscience, formed by daily encounters with the Word of God, in the peaceful conversations of the dialogue in the community, in fraternal teaching and correcting. This freedom can not be confused with the anarchy and the egocentric caprice adolescene are naturally given to, nor with the defense of self-interest, which is natural for „the old man.” („Quae sua sunt quaerunt”) In the communal life of the Congregations, freedom becomes shared responsibility and glad-hearted service to one’s brothers, with disinterested dedication, beyond the ordinary goings-on of daily communal life.”39

107. Msgr. Baudrillart pointed out this characteristic of the Philipian spirit in the preface to Ponelle and Bordet’s work when he wrote: „The spirit of St. Philip’s doctrine consists in allowing everyone to be comfortable, as if they were in their own home, in not stifling others, in letting each person, within limits, show their own originality of thought and their own manner; in finding as much joy in diversity as in unity, with scrupulous respect for the spontaneity of the soul.”

108. Freedom is an outgrowth of the presence of the Holy Spirit. St Paul speaks of freedom as the fruit of the presence of the Spirit (Gal 5) and of the love of God, from which nothing can separate us. This also happened to St. Philip. He was the man of the Holy Spirit. He opened his heart to the Spirit in an amazing mystical experience. In such a way that „he moved about naturally in the supernatural.” (Bouyer) It was a very personal, almost childlike way of being before God, talking to Him and opening himself to Him; it was his irresistible attraction and his affable manner, an imagination that inspired admiration and lead to reflection; Philip had a joyful and welcoming tenderness, an clever affability and freedom of spirit.40

109. St. Philip was habitually permeated with the Holy Spirit and His gifts, so much so that he often needed to „distract” himself in order to be able to celebrate the Mass and, in other moments, he practically had to defend himself from too much contemplation and from the dangers of falling into an ecstasy.

110. Structures can sometimes constrain the action of the Spirit. „It is better to obey God than men,” St. Peter would repeat. Institutions are legitimate and necessary, but St. Philip thought that all that was needed was a „minimal” organization filled with the Spirit. „May the body be the minimum required in order to give voice to the soul; may the institution be open to the charism and to the prophetic spirit.”41 Only the Spirit can create in us the union of the many components of our spirituality. If the Holy Spirit does not illuminate us, the joy which distinguishes us would become mere frivolous thoughtlessness; granting secularity in concession to the world, along with licentiousness and materialism, and then freedom, too, would degenerate into anarchical dissipation.”42

111. The Oratorian Lifestyle, based on the free choice of „this family,” gives ample margin to personal autonomy for one’s own spiritual development, in accordance with God’s design,

39!Cifadini:!„Spiritualità$dell’$Oratorio”[„Spirituality!of!the!Oratory“].!op.!cit. 40!Ibid. 41!Ibid. 42!Ibid. 23 nonetheless empowering the virtues and the charisma of each individual for the common good. Creative freedom as well as gratifying autonomy must be founded upon a real and effective desire for continuously moving towards God.

Joy 112. Joy is part of the unique legacy of St. Philip and it is one of the most distinctive aspects of Oratorian Community life. Everyone remembers St. Philip as joyful, happy, funny, and unpredictable in his jests. In this time and in this world full of so many worries, the Oratorians are called to bring joy and happiness, as an assurance of the love of God, and to serve the Lord with gladness.

113. Joy is contagious and is a sign of being at peace with God, within oneself and with others. Charity and community Life are nurtured with joy. The joking, innocent jesting, and funny stories which so delighted St. Philip, restore and renew the tired spirit. To describe St. Philip, Cardinal Valier entitled his short poem: „Philippus, sive de leatitia christiana.”43

114. Joy is the origin of an optimistic spirit and pleasure that is healing, constructive, and purifying. Cardinal Valier put these words in the mouth of St. Philip: „True and intimate joy is a gift of God, the product of a good conscience, of the rejection of external vanities, and of the contemplation of the highest truths.” Philip said that „it is easier to guide a joyful person than a sad one on the spiritual journey.”44 He often said, „Scruples and melancholy, get out of my house.” He gave special attention to youth: „Happy are you young people, because you have time to do good.” „Be happy, but do not sin.” „Be steadfast, if you can.” We find in him an exceptional freedom in speaking that brought him a sense of irony that was intelligent, inspiring and stimulating, without humiliating anyone, and to such an extent that he was nicknamed „Socrates.”45

115. This seems to explain his many, funny expressions that have come down through history. It is the joy that becomes simplicity and interior poverty, taking away all importance from activities or projects that are „too serious,“ as if to say: „Only One is good, only One is holy and only One almighty: adore Him alone.” He said: „Find delight in communal life and avoid all singularity, attend to purity of heart, because the Holy Spirit dwells in innocent and simple minds, and He is the teacher of prayer, putting us in a state of continuous peace and joy, which is the foretaste of Heaven.”46

Poverty 116. Jesus warns: „...whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33) Detachment from the things of this world and poverty are like the traveling companions of the other virtues. St. Philip always showed a great freedom from and indifference to worldly possessions and an unconditional confidence in Divine Providence. His disciples were

43!AgosGno!Valier,!born!in!Venice!April!7.!1521,!Bishop!of!Verona!beginning!May!15.!1565,!made!Cardinal!on!December!12,!1583.!He!died!May!23,! 1606,!as!the!Suburbicarian!Bishop!of!Palestrina.!He!wrote!almost!!two!hundred!works!in!LaGn. 44!Massime$e$Ricordi. 45!Louis!Bouyer,!„Un$Socrate$Romain”. 46!Massime$e$Ricordi. 24 called to be in solidarity with those who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow. Evangelical poverty should not be disassociated from daily duties and work Work, in fact, is the first form of solidarity and poverty.

117. Being detached from affection for all that people possess is necessary to every Christian. It is even more necessary for those who have chosen the Lord as their portion and their inheritance. There is no vow of poverty in the Oratory. St Philip told his own followers to have possessions, but to live in the spirit of the Gospel.

118. Poverty is a source of blessedness and a way of securing eternal life (Matthew 5:3). This includes self-restraint in the use of possessions, detachment of the heart, and confidence in God, who is Father and who „has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away” (Luke 1:53). Our Constitutions recommend doing good works for the benefit of the Congregation and for the needy with everything one may have and freeing oneself from the spirit of avarice by not accumulating worldly goods. Our Holy Father gave an extraordinary example of this throughout his life; he who even sold his own books and rejected gifts and a considerable inheritance. Whatever he accepted he gave to the church and to the poor. In the conclusion of his will, dated October 2, 1581, Philip wrote, „..shaving this alone in mind always, what worries and frightens me is how wealth can be a greater impediment to spiritual progress and to peace than poverty, since worrying about wealth can cause moral laxity.”47 Holy Father Philip often said: „Leave your purse behind if you want to earn souls; you cannot gain souls and things at the same time.”48 St. Paul indicates that greed is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:9). St. Philip said, „God will not fail to give you things, but be sure that when you do have things you do not lack spirit… If you go after material goods and want money I won’t look after you, because having them without the proper caution makes men incapable of having spirit”. He said: „Give me ten detached people and with them I will have enough spirit to convert the world.” Philip wrote to his niece who was a nun, Anna Maria Trievi: „To acquire the love of God there is no truer and shorter route than to detach oneself from the love of things, even if they are small and inconsequential, and from the love of self, while loving the will and service of God more than we love our own will and self-satisfaction.”49 Father Marciani said that St. Philip „would never recognize as his sons those in the congregation who would seek after things.”50 Definitively, poverty for St. Philip is to be able to say with St Paul: „Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want” (Phil 4:11-12).

Work 119. This is the most important means of practicing poverty in the Oratory. The members of the Congregation live by their own work, „militant propriis stipendiis“, they live from their own incomes.51 Even work becomes a means of sanctification when it is understood as a way to fulfill the will of God, from whom everything comes. Work is prayer, when it is done for the love of God;

47!Istruzione$per$Esercizi$Spirituali,!!op.!cii.!p.!58. 48!Ibid.!Cf.!also!Pregi$dello$Congregazione$dell’Oratorio$di$San$Filippo$Neri,!od.!cii.,!p.!58,!Vol. 49!Gasbarri:!„Filippo$Neri$nella$Tes>monianza“,!p.!191. 50!Marciani:!dell’$Oratorio$di$Napoli,!from!Pregi!della!Congregazione!dell’Oratorio!di!San!Filippo!Neri,!p.!58. 51!Oratorian$Cons>tu>ons,!number!102. 25 any kind of work, even the most humble. In fact, the most humble jobs were preferred by St Philip. One day, Philip saw one of the Fathers talking too much time with pious exercises, while other, manual work needed to be done, so he sent one of the brothers with an apron to put around his neck, saying to him, „We must also work, leaving God for God.” „He encouraged his spiritual sons to avoid idleness as if it were the plague; therefore, whenever one of his spiritual sons was with the Blessed Father, he put him to some sort of manual work such as stringing rosaries, moving boxes, sweeping he room, making the bed or the like, or reading a spiritual book of the lives of the Saints, and Philip urged them to always be doing something and never be idle.”52 The ancient fathers taught that perseverance involves these three works: the Church, the Cell and the Office; that is: the administration of the sacraments, especially confession, divine worship, and preaching; withdrawal from the world and personal mental and vocal prayer; and careful attention to the offices of the Congregation.

Chastity 120. Chastity is mentioned by St. Paul as being one of the fruits of the Spirit. Chastity ought to be lived as the freedom of the heart, in a total giving of oneself to the Lord; not as a rejection of a human reality that was willed by God and sanctified by grace. Chastity is a foretaste of the Kingdom, which yearns for the fullness of love, and for making oneself available to a positive and serene intimacy; it is a spiritual richness which puts right all the possible deviations of egoism and immaturity.”53 St. Philip „advised us to flee from every kind of singularity and showing oneself to be or to do more than the others,“ knowing that humility is indispensable in preserving purity. He said: „Be attentive to purity of heart because the Holy Spirit dwells in innocent and simple souls. One should fear carnal temptations and flee from them even in illness, in old age and for as long as one lives, because the spirit of incontinence exempts no place, nor time, nor person.”54 Philip often said: „The young should beware of the temptations of the flesh, and the old should beware of avarice. Temptations of the flesh can be better overcome by flight than by fight. Be compassionate tenants those who fall-that helps us not to fall. Always be vigilant and never trust oneself. He also said that he preferred a person tempted by the flesh who was able to flee from it than someone not tempted who had never had to escape difficulty. And he proposed five remedies: flee temptation, do not pamper the flesh, flee from idleness, pray frequently, and frequent Confession and the Most Holy Eucharist”55

Obedience 121. Obedience is the only law imposed by God for the universal ordering of all things and for their conservation.56 The cosmos obeys the divine order. Man, to give greater glory to God, is called to obey in total freedom. There is no greater expression of freedom than following God’s plan, since humans are given the freedom to personally chose their own greater good („The truth will make you free!”). And obedience frees us from the slavery of human weakness, which is subject to error.

52!Massime$e$Ricordi. 53!Cifadini,!arGcle!cited. 54!Massime$e$Ricordi. 55!Ibid. 56!Instruzione$per$Esercizi$Spirituali,$op.!cit.!p.!85. 26 122. The Congregation of St. Philip can also be considered to be part of the whole of Creation, where all the various components work in harmony together; working well when everything is in its place, in „obedience“ to the whole. Blessed Sebastian Valfré said: „Obedience is the map for navigating towards the shores of perfection and towards the safe port of blessed eternity.“57 Father Consolini said: „One who is not obedient will never be holy.“58

123. Obedience is born from the virtue of humility, which recognizes one’s own limits, of poverty and of the need for help. At times obedience is difficult, because it requires the renunciation of one’s own desires and egoism. St. Philip said that obedience is „the true holocaust which is sacrificed to God on the altar of our hearts; it is a shortened route to arrive quickly at perfection; whoever lives an ordinary life in obedience is more praiseworthy than another who does penance at his own choosing; whoever flees one tribulation will only find another; whoever flees frost will have snow fall on him, and whoever flees from the bear will meet the lion.”59

124. Obedience conforms us to Christ who was obedient even unto death. „He desired in his spiritual sons a willing obedience, and often said that it was not enough just to do what obedience commanded, but also that it was necessary to be obedient without complaint, and to believe with certitude that what obedience required would be the best thing, the most perfect that can be found, even when it seems that the opposite should be true. He often said to his spiritual sons, and in particular to those of the house who were eager to be obedient that they should leave aside every other thing to attend to community matters, even if it were prayer itself or something else that seemed more important.“60 Every state of life, every social arrangement requires obedience; obedience to laws, to regulations, etc.

125. Even the proverbial „Philipian freedom”requires obedience. Father Tarugi said time and again: „In the Congregation, even though the members are not bound with a vow of obedience, they are obligated to freely live in obedience. ”61 The Constitutions of the Oratory exhorts members to not bind themselves to external works that would cause them to be absent from communal life; and in accepting external works one is invited to obedience. ”62

126. Obedience is the best preparation for the assumption of positions of responsibility. There is a saying that in order to know how to command, one must first have learned how to obey.

57!Ibid,!p.!97. 58!Pregi$dello$Congregazione$dell’Oratorio$di$San$Filippo$Neri,!od.!cii.,!p.!249. 59!Massime$e$Ricordi. 60!Ibid. 61!Cardinal!Francesco!Maria!Tarugi!from!Montepulciano,!cousin!of!Pope!Julius!Ill.!A^er!choosing!St.!Philip!as!Confessor,!Tarugi!joined!the!group!of! Philip’s!disciples!in!1556.!He!once!considered!becoming!!a!Capuchin,!but!the!Lord!made!him!stay!with!St.!Philip.!In!1576!he!transferred!to!Naples!to! founded!the!CongregaGon!there.!He!was!called!back!to!Rome!a^er!six!years.!There!he!was!made!Archbishop!of!Avignon!by!Pope!Clement!III.!who!on! June!5,!1596,!made!him!Cardinal,!along!with!Cesar!Baronius.!Already!an!old!man,!he!reGred!to!his!beloved!CongregaGon,!and!died!line!11,!1608,!at! 83!years!of!age,!a^er!having!served!as!the!Pastor!for!several!years!in!the!Church!of!Siena.!Cf:!„!„Breve$no>zia$d’alcuni$compagni$die$San$Filippo$ Neri“![Brief!notes!on!some!of!Saint!Philip!Neri’s!companions]!op.!cit.,!p.!25!ff. 62!Oratorian!ConsGtuGons,!numbers!100P101. 27 Chapter 5 Means to spiritual Perfection

The Oratory - Place of Prayer I . Familiar discourse on the Word of God 127. Just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, on the journey with Christ, we must apply ourselves to listening to the Holy Scriptures, meditating on them deeply. This will always enable us to know Christ better. Saint Jerome admonishes us: „Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (Commentary on Isaiah). „Therefore, all the clergy must continuously focus their attention on the Holy Scriptures through diligent reading and careful study; especially the priests and others, such as deacons and catechists, who are active in the ministry of the Word, lest any of them become ‚an empty preacher of the Word of God outwardly, who is not a listener to it inwardly‘ (St. Augustine, Sermon 179) ‚since they must be able to earnestly communicate the abundant wealth of the Divine word to the faithful in their care, especially within the sacred liturgy.’“63

128. From the beginning, the Oratory was noted for this characteristic and special discourse on the Word of God, practiced in a familiar way that was simple. objective, and applicable to everyday life, the Word of God pondered in the light of the Holy Spirit, whose help was assiduously invoked. Great importance was also given to reading and commenting on the lives of the Saints. For St. Philip, this was the primary means of the renewal of Christian life: announcing the Good News, using words understandable to all, in „familiar” intimacy, among persons who thirsted for the truth. Philip did not care for high-sounding sermons from the pulpit; he loved fraternal dialogue. This style, original for Philip’s time, continues to be the distinctive means of evangelization in the Oratory. The incarnate knowledge of the Word of God transforms life „in common” into „a communion of life.” Father Manni said that for St. Philip, „the daily hearing of the Word of God took the place of the fasting, silence, vigils and the chanting of psalms of monks, because attentive listening to the Word of God was like fulfilling these exercises.”64 In 1613, Father Talpa wrote, „the Institute of the Oratory consists primarily in the daily proclamation of the Word of God in a simple and familiar way.65 The Oratory advocates knowledgeable discussion of the Word of God, incarnate in the history of the Church, in the waitings of the Fathers and in the lives of the Saints, so as to foster the growth of each person into their full Christian maturity.

II. Prayer 129. „And let them remember that prayer should accompany the reading of sacred Scripture, so that God and man may converse together; for ‚we speak to Him when we pray; we hear Him when we read the divine sayings’ (St. Ambrose, De officiis ministrorum).”66 For St. Philip, the purpose was not just to study the Word of God like, as he said, „the professors of the Sorbonne do,” but to

63!Dei$Verbum,!no.!25. 64!Father!AgosGno!Manni,!from!Canziano!in!the!Duchy!of!Urbino.!One!of!the!first!followers!of!Saint!Philip!(ct.!Memoric!Hisioriche,!op.!cit.,!p.!7!and! pp.!520P530).!Gi^ed!with!great!gentleness!of!spirit,!so!that!he!was!caIled!„Father!Sweet!Manna“.!Assiduous!at!the!confessional!for!the!members!of! the!house!and!for!outsiders.!For!the!infirm!and!the!poor,!he!was!the!„Angel!of!God.“!He!had!an!excepGonal!devoGon!to!the!Virgin!Mary.!He!died!at! age!71,!November!26,!1618.!(Cf.!„Breve$no>zia...”!(„Brief!notes…“!„]!op.!cit.,!pp.!104P112). 65!Father!Antonio!Talpa,!born!in!San!Severino!in!the!Marche!region!of!Italy!on!April!1,!1536.!He!joined!the!CongregaGon!at!its!beginning.!Given!by!St.! Philip!as!Spiritual!Director!to!St.!Camillus!de!Lellis.!Sent!to!found!the!CongregaGon!in!Naples,!where!he!died!January!14,!1624. 66!Dei$Verbum,!no.!25. 28 meditate on it, alone or in fraternal communion, in order to be able to respond in prayer and by putting it into practice. St. Philip said: „Man without prayer is an animal without reason. There is nothing that the devil feats more, or that he tries to impede more, than prayer. So long as I have time to pray to God to hear me, I am confident of obtaining every grace from Him.”67 St. Philip also said, „One should never lose whatever devotion one has acquired, because if the devil makes you lose it once, he will easily make you lose it the next time and then again, and all will end in nothing.68 „For the greatest benefit, and in order that the person should not become bored, he taught others to offer short ejaculatory prayers to God many times during the day.“69 „He said that one way to promote spiritual life and prayer was to often read the lives of the Saints. He exhorted others to persevere in prayer, saying that a person should not fail to pray either because of spirits that appear during prayer or because of any other temptation, but that the person has to endure everything with patience because the Lord can give in a single moment what one could not otherwise be attained in decades of effort.”70 When Father Mariano Sozzini was close to death, he was asked to leave some final words. He advised: „As long as the Congregation of the Oratory prays, there will be a Congregation and it will keep its spirit.”

130. Prayer and meditation on the Word of God has always held first place in the Oratory, which is a „place of Prayer,” as its name indicates, and is also a school of prayer.

Frequenting the Sacraments: The Eucharist & Reconciliation I. The Eucharist 131. St. Philip loved the Eucharist. The fervor with which he celebrated the Holy Mass is well known, during which he often physically shook with such tremors of love. He exhorted his own to celebrate Mass every day. „He said that priests who did not take advantage of their ability to celebrate every day cried greatly, as well as those who asked permission to not celebrate every day with the excuse of needing recreation. He said that those who seek consolation outside its proper place seek their own damnation, and whoever wants to be wise without true wisdom or without the Savior, is not healthy but sick, and not wise but insane.“71

132. The best preparation for the Celebration of the Eucharist is a holy life, „to live in such a way that at any hour, as far as the conscience in concerned, one could say Mass and receive Holy Communion.” Father Angelo Velli said: „Mass should be celebrated in such a way as if the man was going to die at the conclusion of that prayer.”72 133. The Eucharist is the summit of the Christian life, it is the source of love and unity. True Christianity cannot exist without the Eucharist. It is the nourishment necessary to be with Christ and all those who spread his Good News. Eucharistic Worship and love of the Liturgy have always been Philipian traits, because the Liturgy is a practical catechesis, a school of faith and love, and an expression of the life of the Christian community. The great devotion St. Philip had for the

67$Massime$e$Riccordi. 68!Ibid. 69!Ibid. 70!Ibid. 71!Ibid. 72! Father! Angelo! Velli,! from! Palestrina,! received! by! St.! Philip! into! the! CongregaGon! in! 1565.! Sent! with! Francesco! M.! Tarugi! to! San! Giovanni! dei! FiorenGni.!Brought!to!Ferrara!for!some!Gme!by!Cardinal!Pietro!Aldobrandini,!who!wanted!to!nominate!him!for!the!Cardinalate,!which!he!refused.! Second!Provost,!a^er!St.!Philip;!a^er!60!years!in!the!CongregaGon,!he!died!at!age!85,!December!10,!1622.!Cf.!„Memorie…“!op.!cit.,!p.!30!and!pp.! 482P488:!and!cf.!„Breve$no>zia...”(„Brief!notes…"),!op.!cit.,!pp.!75P79. 29 Eucharist is well-known; he passed hour after hour in adoration before the Tabernacle, and he strongly encouraged public adoration of the Eucharist, especially with regard to the exercise of the Forty Hours Devotion.

II. Reconciliation 134. The administration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and frequent Confession, in the mind and practice of St. Philip, were not only the means of freedom from sin and regaining peace of conscience, but above all were a means of progressing towards spiritual perfection. He was so full of the Holy Spirit that it seemed as if he had a natural need to communicate the spirit to others through dispensing the mercy of God and spiritual conversation. This gift of the Spirit made Philip indefatigable, day and night. His room was always open to all, and all those who came to him were restored to peace and the desire to live as Christians.

135. The ministry of reconciliation and spiritual direction has always been a Philipian characteristic and practice. Father Angelo Saluzzi, referring to the diligence of Oratorian priests in the confessional said: „Whoever wants to earn money must spend time in the shop.”73 St. Philip exhorted overs in pray that they might find a stable confessor and Spiritual Father. „The devil,” he said, „fears the Spiritual Father.” He recommended opening oneself to a Spiritual Father freely, with sincerity and simplicity. „The devil is so proud that there is no better way to defeat him than by humility and by confessing one’s sins and temptations to one’s confessor.”74 „Never trust in yourself, but always take counsel with your Spiritual Father, and ask everyone to pray for you.”75

Devotion to Mary 136. We have already considered the importance of Mary in the spiritual path of St. Philip. From Philip, the Oratory has inherited a special devotion to the Holy Virgin, as our churches testify. Our Holy Father turned to her with the most tender and loving expressions. He always said that the Madonna was the true founder of the Oratory. He recommended his followers be devoted to our Lady as an essential means of spiritual ascent. „Be devoted, my sons, to the Virgin Mary; I know what I am saying to you. Know, my sons, and believe me, that there is no more powerful means of obtaining grace from God than by the Most Holy Virgin.76 „In order to be able to begin and to persevere in the way of the spirit and to arrive more quickly at spiritual perfection, the Blessed Father said that devotion to the most Holy Virgin was necessary.”77 He recommended the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary. He also composed a rosary with these ejaculatory prayers: „Virgin and Mother, Mother and Virgin;”and „Virgin Mary, mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.” Philip „asked everyone with the greatest affection and an abundance of tears to recite this rosary every day out of love for Mary... because her most beautiful titles are proclaimed by this means.“78

137. The Church venerates Mary as a „Signum Ecclesiae,” in a type of the Church, invoking her as Mother and proposing her as a model to all Christians, while assuring her powerful inter-

73!Father!Angelo!Saluzzi.!Provost!of!Rome!for!several!years.!He!was!also!Provost!upon!the!death!of!Father!Velli,!in!1622.!Cf.!„Memorie…”,!op.!cit.,!p.! 488. 74!Massime$e$Ricordi. 75!Ibid. 76!Ibid. 77!Ibid. 78!Massime$e$Ricordi. 30 cession. She responded to and collaborated with the divine plan of salvation promptly and with total dedication. She was the first and most faithful „hearer” of the Word of God, „Verbum Dei.” She it was who learned with her „Fiat” to accept and incarnate „the Way, the Truth and the Life”with intense maternal affection and with total docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.

Study of the Sacred Scriptures and Preaching I. Study 138. Study is essential for the ongoing formation of all, for preaching and for the apostolate; especially the study of Sacred Scripture. The holy father, speaking about studying, said that the best and most useful books for learning „were those that began with „S“ that is, books by Saints, like St. Augustinus, St. Gregory, St. Bernard, etc.”79 Father Talpa wrote: „The means by which the Congregation intends to achieve the goal of obtaining the salvation of their souls and those of their neighbors are principally these three: • The first is goodness and exemplariness of life. • The second is divine worship and all the spiritual exercises that are a part of it. • The third is a thorough knowledge of Christian Doctrine, principally being of service to the following exercises: - The Oratory - Preaching and lessons from Sacred Scripture for the instruction of the people. - The administration of the Holy Sacraments.”

II. Preaching 139. Since the very beginning of the Oratory and up to the present time, preaching has been the principal form of apostolate, but in its own congenial style which expands the heart more than the mind, with preference given to smaller groups more than to crowds. We can affirm that Philip created a true school with this method, in the environment of Renaissance Rome, where ecclesiastical orators competed with the pagan classics. The Saint taught that in order to preach, it is necessary to first pray a great deal, to give great importance to the practice of virtue, to have the proper motion while studying, and to frequently refer to examples taken from the life of the Church and of the Saints. Father Alvarez said: „Doctrine and spirit (preparation and prayer) are like Martha and Mary, because they must reciprocally assist one another.”80 Father Giuliano Giustiniani said that a priest of the Congregation ought to die on one of these „three pieces of wood“: the predella of the altar, the confessional, or the chair of discourse.81

79!Ibid. 80!Father!Baldassare!Alvarez,!of!the!Compagnia$di$Gesu![Jesuits]!Confessor!of!St.!Teresa!of!Avila.!Cf.!Pregi…,!op.!cit,!p.!25!and!34. 81!Father!Giuliano!GiusGniani,!Provost!of!Rome,!1623P1629,!died!in!1654.![Translator’s!note:!the!chair!of!discourse!is!where!the!speaker!was!seated! while!giving!his!talk!during!the!Oratorian!exercises.] 31 Chapter 6 The Oratory, current status of its presence in the world

140. Saint Philip began preaching the Gospel as a layman. In Rome, he preached the Gospel especially in lay environments such as the streets, squares, and public parks. He preached in a simple, ordinary way appropriate to the laity. As layman, in 1544, he received the great gift of the Holy Spirit during a „night of fire,” his personal Pentecost. He turned his attention above all to the laity and trained them in express themselves in meetings of the Oratory, and to speak of Jesus and the Gospel. After being ordained a priest, he never ceased to exercise this charism to gather together the laity and above all young people („Happy are you young people, because you have time to do good“), understanding them and making himself understood by them. He founded a community that became clerical, but had the Secular Oratory as the focus of its apostolate, helping the laity to live the priesthood given them in their baptism, and the mission given to all Christians, who are first of all called to be disciples and then apostles.

141. The roman catholic church has not rediscovered this ancient truth, also not after the beginning of the Second Vatican Council. But the attention to the laity and to the world is part of the most constant and clear tradition of the Oratory of St. Philip. Among the many saints who could be mentioned here, we recall St. Francis of Sales, and Cardinals John Henry Newman and Giulio Bevilacqua. The term „lay”is an adjective of the noun „Christian“(the „faithful of Christ”). Statistically, the laity are the majority of Christians; with the priests and bishops at their side, the laity are the most trustworthy witnesses of the mentality of the world, and in certain situations potentially the most effective in proclaiming the Gospel at the missionary level.

142. The Philipian Communities are not destined to close in upon themselves, searching for their own spiritual well-being. Constitutionally, they are communities „of Apostolic Life,” sent into the world to proclaim Christian hope, to seek to win the world over and to save it not from above or from without but from within. The missionary aspirations of St. Philip (to whom the mystic Agostino Ghettini said, „Your Indies are Rome”)82 are carried over into these communities which seek to read the signs of the times and to make themselves „all things to all men,” with that adaptability that has distinguished the Oratory from its beginnings.

143. The ability to enter into dialogue with the laity and with the world and to involve people in the coming of the Reign of God presumes a particularly open- minded attitude and spiritual dimension. To dialogue does not always mean to agree; on the contrary, dialogue can result in debating the gospel and bringing about Christian discernment. Yet dialogue is always to come from the heart, from love. „I know very well that there are saints whose mission consists rather in separating the world and the truth from each other; and that there are others who receive the mission of uniting the two. This latter one was the mission of St. Philip.“83 In this affirmation, Newman compares the „sweet and touching”spirit of St. Philip with the vehement and polemic spirit of Savonarola, who Philip venerated as a Saint.

82!AgosGno!Ghetni,!Cistercian!monk!at!Tre!Fontane.!Cf!$„Il$primo$processo$per$San$Filippo$Neri“,!Volume!I,!VaGcan!City,!1957,!pp.!384P385. 83!John!Henry!Newman:!„Missione$die$San$Filippo“. 32 144. The Philipian communities are called to participate in this „ecumenical quality”of St. Philip, understanding that ecumenism was the attitude of study undertaken together, an attitude faithful to the hospitality that liberates in the participants of a discussion the potentialities for good and for truth that already exist in them and which encourages a creative spirit according to the Pauline exhortation, „do not quench the Spirit, but examine everything and retain what is good.” For Philip, the road of the imitation of Christ in the world is the same as that of everyday life. Thus, when the wife of the ambassador of Spain once asked him when he had abandoned the world, Philip responded: „I did not know that I had abandoned it. ”84

145. The „secularity”of the priests and brothers of the Oratory consists precisely in their living in the world with a missionary heart, in this world with all its unrest, temptations and turmoil, in order to help it to find itself in Christ.

146. The sons of St. Philip see the cultural and religious differences and diversity existing among people not as an inevitable source of divisiveness, but as a potential source of enrichment and drawing closer to the one Truth.

Conclusion

147. Our Holy Father St. Philip was above all a spiritual man with a heart enlarged by the Holy Spirit. Through the years, he became more and more a contemplative; a pure prayer. This is the profound secret that explains his identity. Without this, there is the risk that he may be seen superficially, simply as a genial jester. Without straining the text, the words of St. Paul are able to be applied to him: „The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control...” (Gal 5:22-23). His pedagogy was one of the Spirit, founded on docility (docibilitas) in be Spirit’s inspirations. Heart speaks unto heart. Here one finds his never-ending effectiveness. The presence of the Spirit means everything to the Church. Without the Spirit she would become a dead letter, a structure belonging to the past, propaganda without the power to liberate.

148. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, making her a vibrant community and a fraternal communion, renewing her before the world and in the world with the gift of genuine youth, freeing her from the fear of what is new and from infatuations with what is fashionable, making her a place of dialogue, a place of frankness and of responsible freedom. The Spirit makes of her the Church of the Risen and Living Christ.

149. The Philipian communities, in their structural unpretentiousness, are called to express in the Church and in the world this „liberty in the truth” this joyous service „in the love of Christ“. Small and hidden as they are, they are always and in every way to be, in the logic of the Kingdom, salt of the earth and leaven that brings growth to humanity, to brothers and sisters.

84!Father!Turks:!Filippo$Neri.!Cifa!Nuova,!p.!167. 33 150. „Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:4-9)

I compiled, revised and supplemented this document from several other catholic documents. Please consider this when reading it. St. Philip was a real Catholic in the true sense of the word and also our spiritual father John Henry Newman. However, the message of St. Phillip hasn’t reached the „normal“ Roman Catholics yet. Most of them don’t even know him. The importance and practice of simple Christian life is clearly in Philip’s message and should be highlighted in this document anew. My intention is to make the heritage of St Philip and Newman known again, especially in Anglican churches.

Therefore, I decree the reading of this document in all our theological trainings, especially in the formation of priests and that the content of this „Spiritual Path“ will be lived out in all oratories of the Priestly Fraternity.

Given to Baden-Baden, at first July in the year of our Lord 2015.

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