Who Is St. Philip Neri?

The traits that can be used to describe him are limitless. He exemplifies what it truly means to live out the Christian faith in the Oratory manner. After all, he is our patron Saint and goes by the name of Saint Philip Neri. Some know him for just a name and others do not even know him at all. However, anybody who encountered him would find a cheerful and upbeat individual who cared more for those around him than himself. Born on July 21, 1515, he expressed endless amounts of joy and humor from his childhood on. As a toddler, he was often called Good Little Phil. Philip first encountered Christ through a vision around his late teens where he believed he was called to live in communion with God for all eternity. Therefore, he traveled to arguably the holiest place a Christian could pilgrimage to at that time, Rome. This began a long line of religious choices that led him to become the great Catholic Church figure he is today. The Patron Saint of Rome is none other than Saint Philip himself. He not only helped upper leaders of the Vatican but made even greater contributions when affecting the poor and those less fortunate. Saint Philip Neri finally passed away at the old age of 80 on May 26, 1595, a date that his feast day is celebrated today. There are no other words to better summarize Saint Philip Neri’s life than joyful and meaningful because he influenced every person in a different way with his love and compassion. He created a bond of brothers living together with nothing but the necessities to pray and worship the Lord. This was called the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and is the namesake of our school. As Oratory brothers, we must continue to not tarnish the good reputation molded by Philip Neri himself and the students before us. The four virtues we hold true to our hearts at Oratory are honesty, pride, responsibility, and respect. Through these, we can all live life like Saint Philip Neri.

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