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Wednesday, June 03, 2015

JUNE 13 - FEAST OF ST ANTHONY OF PADOVA, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH ---&--- ST. ANTHONY NOVENA...



 Statue of St Anthony of Padua at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Church, St Paul's Bay, Malta








PRAYER TO SAINT ANTHONY


Wondrous Saint Anthony, glorious for the fame of your miracles, you had the happiness of receiving in your arms our blessed Lord as a little child. Obtain for me from His mercy this favor that I desire from the bottom of my heart: (mention your request)

Since you were so gracious to poor sinners, do not regard the lack of merit on the part of him who calls upon you, but consider the glory of God, which will by exalted once more through you, by the salvation of my soul and the granting of the petition that I now earnestly present to you.

As a pledge of my gratitude, I beg you to accept my promise to live henceforth more faithfully according to the teaching of the Gospel and to be devoted to the service of the poor whom you ever loved and still love so much. Bless this my resolution and obtain for me the grace to be faithful to it till death.  Amen.



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http://laikos.org/qaddisin.htm


13 TA’ ĠUNJU  
SANT ANTNIN TA’ PADOVA
Saċerdot u Duttur tal-Knisja: 1191 – 1231

Padova hi l-isem tal-belt fl-Italja fejn Sant Antnin għex l-aħħar snin ta’ ħajtu.  Twieled Lisbona, il-Portugall, fl-1191, minn familja nobbli, u fil-magħmudija semmewh Ferdinandu.
Beda l-iskola fil-Katidral ta’ Lisbona.  Ta’ ħmistax-il sena daħal mal-Kanoniċi Regolari ta’ San Wistin, iżda bill kien qed ikollu ħafna żjajjar minn qrabatu u ħbiebu talab biex ibiddel il-monasteru, u ġie mibgħut f’Koimbra.  Hawnhekk studja sew l-Iskrittura u s-Santi Padri, u ħa wkoll il-Quddiesa.
Fis-16 ta’ Jannar 1220 ġew maqtula fil-Marokk l-ewwel ħames martri Franġiskani, u f’dik is-sena stess ġabu l-iġsma tagħhom f’Koimbra.  Meta Ferdinandu ra l-proċessjoni għaddejja tqanqal ħafna biex jidħol mal-Franġiskani ħalli jkun jista’ jmur il-Missjoni u jmut martri.
Fl-1221, daħal mal-|Franġiskani Minuri u ħa l-isem ta’ Anton.  Fil-ħarifa ta’ l-istess sena telaq lejn il-Marokk.  Hemmhekk marad, u wara ftit xhur kellu jirritorna lejn pajjiżu, iżda billi l-vapur li kien fuqu ltaqa’ ma’ tempesta, flok il-Portugall sab ruħu Sqallija ġo Messina.
Minn Messina mar assisi fejn kellu jiltaqa’ l-Kapitlu Ġenerali, hawn ra u sama’ lil San Franġisk.  Minn hemm mar Montepaulo mal-Provinċjal fejn għex ħajja ta’ ġabra.  Darba minnhom ġie mitlub biex jagħmel kelmtejn fil-Katidral ta’ Forli, u tant ippriedka tajjeb li wara, il-Provinċjal talbu biex jagħti ruħu għall-priedki.
Hekk għamel, filwaqt li baqa’ jistudja u ħa d-Dottorat fit-Teoloġija.  San Franġisk sama’ b’għerfu u ħatru biex jgħallem it-teoloġija lill-Patrijiet sħabu.
Għamel ħafna ġiri jippriedka fl-Italja, fi Spanja, u fi Franza.  Fl-1224 kien Gwardjan, u fl-1226 ġie maħtur Ministru Provinċjal.  Fl-1228 mar Ruma fuq xogħol ta’ l-Ordni.  Hemm ippriedka quddiem il-Papa Girgor IX, li sejjaħlu ”Arka tat-testment u moħba ta’ l-Iskrittura”.
Fl-1230, fuq talba tiegħu biex ikompli jippriedka, ġie meħlus mill-uffiċċju ta’ Ministru, u mar fil-Kunvent ta’ Padova li kien bena hu nnifsu.  Hawn ħadem bla heda speċjalment għall-fqar, li sal-lum għadna nisimgħu bil-”ħobż ta’ San Antnin”.
Fil-priedki tar-Randan ta’ dik is-sena l-folla ta’ nies li marret tisimgħu laħqet it-30,000.
Miet meta kellu 40 sena, fit-13 ta’ Ġunju 1231.  Ħdax-il xahar wara, il-Papa Girgor IX iddikjarah Qaddis.  Fl-1946 il-Papa Piju XII ipproklamah Duttur tal-Knisja.  San Antnin hu meqjum ħafna fil-Bażilika li bnewlu l-Franġiskani Konventwali f’Padova, fejn hemm il-fdal tiegħu.
Ħsieb
Min ikun mimli bl-Ispirtu s-Santu jitkellem b’bosta ilsna.  Dawn l-ilsna huma x-xhieda li tingħata lill-Kristu, bħalma huma l-umilta’, il-faqar, is-sabar u l-ubbidjenza li aħna nitkellmu bihom mata nuruhom lill-oħrajn fina nfusna.  Għax il-kelma toħroġ ħajja jekk jitkellem l-għemil.  Mela ħa jieqaf il-kliem u jitkellem l-għemil. (San Antnin)




The Miracles of Saint Anthony of Padua





 




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 FROM THE BASILICA OF ST ANTHONY IN PADUA, ITALY
ST ANTHONY NOVENA




St. Anthony Novena – Day 1, Singer of the Virgin Mary
Thank you for joining us for the first day in our thirteen days of preparation for the Feast of St. Anthony. In this first meditation Fr. Mario asks St. Anthony, who was devoted to the Virgin Mary, to help us to develop a more mature devotion to Jesus’ mother.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 2, Liberator of Prisoners
Today’s theme is Anthony, liberator of prisoners. Fr. Mario reminds us that Anthony was really concerned about both real prisoners, victims of unfair laws, and people imprisoned spiritually, enslaved by sin and evil.
 



St. Anthony Novena – Day 3, Hope for those who are ill  
The theme of this third meditation is Anthony, hope for those who are ill. St. Anthony was always very concerned about sick people, and many are the miracles he performed to help them. In his Sermons





St. Anthony Novena – Day 4, Friend of the poor
 Today’s theme is St. Anthony, father of the poor, comforter of the needy. Fr. Mario reminds us that Anthony not only preached about the plight of the poor, he also tried to remedy the situation through tangible works of charity together with his fellow friars.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 5, Preacher of the Word  
Today Fr. Mario tells us how Anthony’s genius for preaching was discovered almost by chance and how he became one of the most remarkable preachers in Catholic history.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 6, Saint of miracles
Today’s theme is Anthony, the saint of miracles. Fr. Mario reminds us that saints do not perform miracles, but they are intimately connected to God, and Anthony is next to Our Father, constantly pulling at God’s sleeve asking Him peace and good for people who need help.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 7, Peacemaker
Today Fr. Mario tells us about St. Anthony the peacemaker. He was a true Franciscan, and many people were touched by his peacemaking efforts. He strove to bring peace between person and person and between God and the individual.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 8, Apostle of Forgiveness
Our theme today is Anthony, apostle of forgiveness: only God knows how many people came to Anthony for confession, received God’s forgiveness for their sins, and went away forgiven, filled with joy, and ready to make restitution!





St. Anthony Novena – Day 9, Comforter of the Afflicted  
Today’s theme is Anthony, comforter of the afflicted. Anthony recognizes that life is a rough journey full of difficulties, but he knows that no human being makes this journey alone: the Holy Spirit is with each one of us.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 10, Life Counsellor 
Today’s theme is Anthony, life counsellor. According to St. Anthony’s biographers, even if he was a very learned person, he was so good at preaching that even children could understand him. He was the perfect counsellor. His advice was always insightful, Scripture based, unique and practical. 





St. Anthony Novena – Day 11, Defender of the Persecuted  
Today Fr. Mario reminds us that Anthony was a defender of the persecuted, nowadays we would call him a “human rights defender”. He helped children, elderly people, women and even prisoners. Also from this point of view Anthony is a very modern personality.





St. Anthony Novena – Day 12, Intercessor before God
Today the theme is Anthony, Intercessor before God. Fr. Mario is in the Chapel of St. Anthony’s relics, where we can find the reliquary with Anthony’s tongue. The tongue throught which he constantly prayed, interceding for individuals, the Church and the world.
Moreover, fr. Mario focuses on the two times Anthony’s tomb was opened, in 1231 and in 1981, and tells us what was found inside of it...

  




St. Anthony Novena – Day 13, World’s Greatest Saint  
Welcome back for our last meditation, today’s theme is Anthony, the world’s greatest saint. We are in the Basilica, at the back of the Saint’s Tomb: thousands of people every day touch this stone as they say their prayers to St. Anthony. Almost four million people come every year to Padua to visit his tomb. That’s probably why Anthony is lovingly called the World’s greatest saint, but Fr. Mario is sure the Saint would reject that title, believing others to be holier than himself!








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...and from EWTN - St Anthony of Padua Novena
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/anthony.htm


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IL-QARI 


13 ta’ Ġunju
SANT’ANTNIN TA’ PADOVA
(1195-1231)
Presbiteru tal-Ewwel Ordni u Duttur tal-Knisja
Festa
Fil-magħmudija tawh l-isem ta’ Fernandu u twieled Lisbona
fil-Portugall qrib is-sena 1195. Meta kien żagħżugħ daħal
mal-Kanonċi Regolari ta’ Santu Wistin ta’ Coimbra, iżda meta
sar saċerdot ħass li kellu jmur ixandar il-Fidi Nisranija fost ilġnus
tal-Afrika u jekk jista’ jkun hemm jieħu l-martirju. Kien
għalhekk li ħalla lill-Kanonċi Regolari u daħal Franġiskan fl-
1220. Dan għamlu meta fil-monasteru tas-Salib imqaddes ta’
Coimbra waslu l-iġsma ta’ San Berardu u sħabu, l-ewwel martri
Franġiskani, li f’dik l-istess sena kienu qatluhom fil-Marokk.
Kif daħal Franġiskan, Fernandu, li issa biddel ismu għal Fra
Antonju, talab li jintbagħat missjunarju, iżda Alla ried li flok
jasal fl-artijiet tal-Afrika, isib ruħu l-ewwel fi Sqallija, imbagħad
Assisi, fejn ħa sehem fil-Kapitlu ta’ Pentekoste tas-sena 1221
li mexxieh San Franġisk innifsu. Wara xi żmien fis-satra talkunvent
ta’ Monte Paolo fir-Romagna, li fih Fra Antonju kien
minsi għal kollox, il-Mulej għoġbu joħroġ fil-beraħ id-doni li
bihom kien żejnu. Minn dak iż-żmien ’il quddiem il-Qaddis
intefa’ għall-predikazzjoni u t-tagħlim tat-teoloġija, u b’hekk
sar l-ewwel Majjistru tal-Ordni. Dar l-Italja kollha u Franza ta’
isfel ixandar il-Kelma ta’ Alla u jwassal ħafna ereżjarki għallindiema.
Kien difensur tal-foqra u tal-magħkusin, filwaqt li
l-Mulej wettaq l-appostolat tiegħu b’bosta mirakli. Għadda
l-aħħar żmien ta’ ħajtu fil-belt ta’ Padova, fl-Italja ta’ fuq, fejn
rabat ismu ma’ dik il-belt u fejn miet fis-subborg ta’ L’Arcella,
nhar il-Ġimgħa, 13 ta’ Ġunju 1231. Il-Papa Girgor IX kitbu
mal-Qaddisin fit-30 ta’ Mejju 1232, anqas minn sena wara
mewtu. Minħabba l-għerf u d-duttrina tiegħu, li jidhru l-aktar
fil-prietki li għamel, kollha miktubin, Sant’Antnin kien mgħolli
għall-ġieħ ta’ Duttur tal-Knisja mill-Papa Piju XII fl-1946. Il-
Bażilka mibnija f’Padova fuq il-qabar tal-Qaddis tilqa’ fiha
kull jum tas-sena pellegrinaġġi minn kull naħa tad-dinja. Hi
tabilħaqq ċentru ta’ talb u spiritwalità.


Tingħad il-Glorja.


Meta l-festa ta’ Sant’Antnin issir b’mod solenni jinqraw żewġ
lezzjonijiet, meta ssir bħala festa sempliċi tingħażel silta waħda.


QARI I           7:7-14
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Għerf

Jien tlabt u qlajt l-għaqal;
Sejjaħt, u ġie fuqi l-ispirtu tal-għerf.
Dan l-għerf qistu aqwa minn kull xettru u tron,
u ntbaħt li l-għana mhu xejn ħdejh.
Ma xebbahtx miegħu l-ħaġra l-aktar prezzjuża,
għax id-deheb kollu ħdejh mhuwiex ħlief ftit ramel,
u l-fidda quddiemu qisha ftit tajn.
Aktar mis-saħħa u s-sbuħija ħabbejtu,
u għoġobni aktar mid-dawl;
għax id-dija tiegħu ma tgħib qatt.
Mal-għerf ġieni l-ġid kollu,
u miegħu ġiebli għana bla qjies.

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.



SALM RESPONSORJALI           40:2-4.10-11.17
R. Xandart it-tjieba tiegħek, Mulej (Ż.Għ. hallelujah).

Ittamajt b’tama qawwija fil-Mulej;
hu niżel ħdejja u sema’ l-għajta tiegħi.
Minn bir waħxi tellagħni,
minn qalb il-ħama u t-tajn;
fuq il-blat qegħedli riġlejja,
u saħħaħli l-mixi tiegħi. R.

Xandart il-ġustizzja f’ġemgħa kbira;
xofftejja ma żammejthomx magħluqa.
Mulej, dan inti tafu.
Ma ħbejtx f’qalbi l-ġustizzja tiegħek;
il-fedeltà u s-salvazzjoni tiegħek jien ħabbarthom;
ma ħbejtx it-tjieba u l-fedeltà tiegħek lill-ġemgħa kbira. R.

Jithennew u jifirħu bik
dawk kollha li jfittxuk;
jgħidu dejjem: “Kbir il-Mulej!”
dawk li jħobbu s-salvazzjoni tiegħek. R.


QARI II         4:7.11-15
Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Efesin

Ħuti: Lil kull wieħed minna Alla tah il-grazzja skont il-qjies
tad-don ta’ Kristu.
U huwa dak li ta lil xi wħud li jkunu appostli, lil xi wħud
profeti, lil xi wħud evanġelisti, lil xi wħud rgħajja u mgħallmin.
Hekk jitrawmu l-qaddisin għax-xogħol tal-ħidma tagħhom
għall-bini tal-Ġisem ta’ Kristu, sakemm aħna lkoll naslu biex
insiru ħaġa waħda fil-fidi u fl-għarfien tal-Iben ta’ Alla; insiru
raġel magħmul, fl-aħjar ta’ żmienu. U hekk isseħħ il-milja ta’
Kristu, u ma nkunux aktar trabi mitfugħin ’l hawn u ’l hemm,
u mkaxkra minn kull riħ ta’ tagħlim bil-qerq tal-bnedmin u
bl-ingann tagħhom biex inwasslu lil ħaddieħor fl-iżball. Imma
waqt li nagħmlu s-sewwa fl-imħabba nikbru f’kollox fih, f’dak
li hu r-Ras, Kristu.

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.



HALLELUJAH Prov 10:20-21
Hallelujah. R. Hallelujah.
Ilsien il-ġust fidda magħżula;
Xofftejn il-ġust jgħallmu lil ħafna.
R. Hallelujah.


EVANĠELJU          Mk 16:15-20
 Għeluq tal-Evanġelju skont San Mark

F’dak iż-żmien Ġesù qal lill-Ħdax: “Morru fid-dinja kollha,
xandru l-Evanġelju lill-ħolqien kollu. Min jemmen u
jitgħammed, isalva; iżda min ma jemminx, ikun ikkundannat. U
dawn huma s-sinjali li jsieħbu lil dawk li jemmnu: f’ismi jkeċċu
x-xjaten, jitkellmu b’ilsna ġodda, jaqbdu s-sriep b’idejhom, u
jekk jixorbu xi xorb li jġib il-mewt ma jagħmlilhomx ħsara;
iqiegħdu jdejhom fuq il-morda u dawn ifiqu.”
U hekk il-Mulej Ġesù, wara li kellimhom, kien imtella’ fissema
u qagħad in-naħa tal-lemin ta’ Alla. Huma mbagħad
marru jippritkaw kullimkien; il-Mulej kien jaħdem magħhom
u jwettaq il-kelma bil-mirakli li kienu jsiru magħha.

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.


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Catholicism and the challenge of ecology




Published on 2 Jun 2015
Ahead of the publication of Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, experts reflect on the history and significance of the church's role in promoting the stewardship of creation.





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Monday, May 25, 2015

HOLY BIBLE - Old Testament --- from the Book of Judith 8:25-27 - mill-Ktieb ta' Guditta 8:25-27


Judith 8:25-27 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
"25 Besides all this, let us give thanks to the Lord our God for putting us to the test as he did our ancestors. 26 Recall how he dealt with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and all that happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia while he was tending the flocks of Laban, his mother’s brother. 27 He has not tested us with fire, as he did them, to try their hearts, nor is he taking vengeance on us. But the Lord chastises those who are close to him in order to admonish them.”
 


Ġuditta 8:25-27

Niżżu ħajr lill-Mulej, Alla tagħna, li qiegħed iġarrab, bħalma għamel ma’ missirijietna. Ftakru x’għamel ma’ Abraham, u kemm ġarrab lil Iżakk, xi ġralu Ġakobb. Bħalma għadda lilhom minn-nar biex jara fejn kienet qalbhom, hekk issa qiegħed jagħmlilna l-Mulej, mhux biex jikkastigana, għax hu jsawwat lil min hu qrib lejh biex iwiddbu.
 
 
 
 
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Sunday, May 24, 2015

May 26 - St Philip Neri --- 26 ta' Mejju - San Filippu Neri


25 Mar 2023 - Due puntate speciali di Indagine confine del Sacro, condotto da David Murgia, dedicate alla figura di San Filippo Neri il santo compatrono di Roma il cui corpo recentemente è stato oggetto di una ricognizione Canonica. Immagini suggestive che documentano cosa è stato ritrovato dentro il suo sarcofago. Durante l’operazione è stato anche confermato ciò che i medici avevano accertato durante le ricognizioni precedenti, ovvero il segreto di San Filippo. Infatti secondo i biografi e secondo le prime autopsie San Filippo Neri è stato destinatario di un fenomeno mistico molto particolare: quello della Pentecoste di fuoco. La sera della Pentecoste del 1544 quando Filippo Neri aveva 29 anni pare che vide dall’ alto un globo di fuoco. Questo entrò nella bocca fino al petto dilatando talmente il cuore da spezzargli due costole. Un fatto riscontrato nell’autopsia dopo la sua morte. 



Indagine ai confini del sacro (TV2000) - Il mistero di San Filippo Neri (Prima parte)  


Indagine ai confini del sacro (TV2000) - Il mistero di San Filippo Neri (Seconda parte)



 








  
 
Fool for Love: St. Philip Neri and the Reform of Rome - Published on 1 Aug 2013
This lecture by Dr. Gregory Roper (English) was given at the University of Dallas on November 30, 2012 as part of the Rome Lecture Series.

 
 
 




 

from Fr Nicholas...

I've just celebrated the Vigil Mass of Pentecost - and, this year (2007), there is a rather nice coincidence since today is the Feast of that great saint of the Holy Spirit, St Philip Neri.

As I'm sure you know, as a young man it was his custom to spend whole nights in prayer in the catacombs, the underground burial places of the early Christians outside the walls of the City. On the vigil of Pentecost in 1544, St Philip was praying in the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian, on the Via Appia, as he had done many times, and asked God to give him the Holy Spirit. St Philip was suddenly filled with great joy, and had a vision of the Holy Spirit as a ball of fire. This fire entered into St Philip’s mouth, and descended to his heart, causing it to expand to twice its normal size, and breaking two of his ribs in the process (a fact later proven by his autopsy). He later said that it filled his whole body with such joy and consolation that he finally had to throw himself on the ground and cry out, “No more, Lord! No more!”

During his lifetime many people noticed that he seemed always to be warm; he was often flushed, and would walk around with his cassock unbuttoned at the chest, even in the middle of winter. Not only that, but several of his disciples reported that his heart used to beat violently when he prayed or preached, sometimes enough to shake the bench on which he was sitting. Some people could hear his heart beating across the room, and others experienced unspeakable peace and joy when he embraced them and held their heads to his breast.

St Philip's experience of the Holy Spirit was unique - but we pray that the same Spirit will come upon us this Pentecost. Leo XIII said that ‘if Christ is the head of the Church, the Holy Spirit is her soul.' He abides in each member of the Church as the dulcis hospes animae (sweet guest of the soul), so that we receive His consolation and strength and bear witness to Christ, just like the apostles on the day of Pentecost and just like the lives of countless saints down the centuries.



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Sermon for the feast of St Philip Neri 

St Philip, a saint for saints
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and be glad. (Psalm 33.2)
Fr Bowden in his Miniature Lives of the Saints says that the life of St Bernadine was St Philip’s favourite among the saints and the last he read before his death. Fr Bouyer on the other hand says that the last book he had read to him was the Fathers of the Desert. Perhaps we should make a distinction between reading or being read to; or perhaps St Philip inspired the two fathers with different information as a joke.

We can understand why St Philip loved St Bernadine when we think of the great gatherings of feuding renaissance factions listening to his sermons and then ending with an emotional reconciliation with the bacio di pace. The holy Franciscan’s withering attacks on homosexual vice would also have met with approval surely from the Holy Father who could smell the vice of impurity in some of his penitents.

On the other hand, we can imagine the attraction which the Desert Fathers held for St Philip. His nights of solitude in the catacombs, his frugal diet and his devotion to the ascetical life all speak of lessons learned from those holy Fathers.

Yet we know that St Philip’s ascetical life was combined with the love of genuine friendship and holy allegria. His was an asceticism that could also participate in a wine-drinking contest in the interest of the apostolate.

St Bernadines’ original bonfires of vanities, predated that of Savonarola (whom St Philip also admired greatly) by several decades. Those bonfires find an unexpected echo in the glee of St Philip’s companions at singing “vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas” (vanity of vanities, all is vanity) as they tramped through Rome from Church to Church.

In the history of the Church, there have been various ways of dealing with corruption and worldliness. Not the least of St Philip’s achievements was to trump the worldliness of Rome in has day with a vivid, existential demonstration of the joy of the Christian life of prayer, penance and charity lived without compromise. As Newman put it:
“he perceived that the mischief was to be met, not with argument, not with science, not with protests and warnings, not by the recluse or the preacher, but by means of the great counter-fascination of purity and truth”
In his lifetime too, of course, St Philip was the mentor and acquaintance of saints. Having such devotion to St Bernadine, it must have warmed his heart to have seen the see the completion of the Church of the Gesu for the now thriving company formed by his friend St Ignatius. We can recall the famous saying of St Ignatius that his friend Philip was like a Church bell, calling people to enter but remaining in his tower.

He was also a friend of St Francis Xavier and would have followed him to the missions but for the famous advice of his confessor “Rome will be your Indies”; advice for which I am sure we are all very grateful here.

St Charles Borromeo came to his assistance when he was falsely accused. St Charles’ cousin, Federico was, of course, one of St Philip’s most regular visitors. He was the confessor of St Camillus de Lellis and advised him to become a priest, thereby indirectly being responsible for the founding of the Camillan fathers, and incidentally for a major contribution to care for victims of HIV and AIDS today.

He was also a friend of St Felix of Cantalice and organised with him a procession with a crucifix during the carnival at the conclusion of which a famous fellow Capuchin preached, effectively wrecking the carnival for that year. St Philip managed to get Giuseppe de Cesari to sketch a portrait of St Felix surreptitiously – a portrait that he cherished ever afterwards. Then of course, the heroic virtue of his protégé, Baronius was recognised by Pope Benedict XIV.

It is rightly said of St Philip that he was very cautious and reserved about falling into bad company. However he seems to have been quite adept at falling into good company. Terrible as the reformation was for the Church, God raised up a new “great cloud of witnesses” in response, several of the most renowned being personal friends and confidantes of St Philip. He is almost like the president of a saints’ club. “Almost”, not because there wasn’t a saints’ club – I think that is quite a good description of these varied characters in 16th century Rome – but because the title “President” would never have fitted his unique self-effacing and humble way of influencing others to follow Christ.

His character was different from the determined and necessary vigour of St Charles to ensure that the decrees of the Council of Trent did not become a dead letter, excommunicating offenders where necessary. He did not require of his company the military obedience that was necessary for St Ignatius to organise the counter reformation. And he did not go around Rome with a shirt of mail studded with spikes as did his friend St Felix. He was radically different from all of them yet a cherished friend of each. He understood the importance of the unique and necessary contribution which God in his providence had called each of them to make to the to the life of the Church; yet he did not find it necessary to imitate their particular characteristics, being a large enough and saintly enough character to bring his own unique and universal attractiveness to his apostolate in Rome itself.

I believe that the “saints club” did not finish at his death. We may discern in St Philip’s life an anticipation of the characteristics of many saints who were to follow him.

When we consider the effect St Alphonsus had in preaching on the last things so graphically, we may recall the tactic of St Philip Neri in getting worldly young men to consider graphic reconstructions of being in the tomb or conversing with a poor soul in hell.

The long hours spent in the confessional by St John Vianney remind us of St Philip’s habit of hearing 40 confessions before dawn and even cutting short his thanksgiving after Mass in order to hear confessions until lunchtime.

Reading the life of the little flower, dear St Therese, we find that she wanted to be a missionary and even became the patron saint of the missions without leaving her native France. She echoes the desire of St Philip to follow his friend St Francis Xavier.

St Francis de Sales’ understanding of the world, St John Bosco’s skill at motivating boys, St John Eudes’ love for the Blessed Sacrament, St Vincent de Paul’s practical love for the poor could all be found in the life of St Philip.

Fr Bouyer said that St Philip lived in an age “captivated by beauty, freed from all control, and suspicious of any restraint…” Newman describes well his response to that age

“he preferred tranquilly to yield to the stream, and direct the current, which he could not stop, of science, literature, art, and fashion, and to sweeten and to sanctify what God had made very good and man had spoilt.”
It has often been said of St Philip that he was, in the best sense “all things to all men”. Perhaps that why he has retained such affection from his many followers in the Oratories and those who come to known him through their work.

Our age has many characteristics in common with his except perhaps that it is captivated less by beauty and more by excitement and sensual pleasure. His uncompromising insistence on purity is necessary today more than ever.

His jocularity and sense of fun is important but should always be seen in conjunction with his asceticism and love of the Mass. It would be easy enough to promote a Catholic life that was superficial and witty. The genius of St Philip is not that he could play jokes on others – any fool can do that. St Philip managed to do so as a part of his apostolate which had the determined aim of saving sinners from hell and producing saints instead.

It is that which the Church needs in any time of reform. It needs it today and we pray to dear St Philip to help us also to begin to do some good.

 



 
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 Fr Philip Neri gives an original penance for infamy !
THE RESULTS OF THE LIES OF THE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE OF INFAMY ARE THE  BREAKDOWN OF FAMILIES, OF TRUST, OF SELF-ESTEEM, EVEN MENTAL BREAKDOWN.......
JUST TRY TO GATHER AGAIN ALL THOSE LIES (FEATHERS) YOU SAID ABOUT A PERSON......


Do not dishonour, do not judge, do not condemn.....Here Fr Philip Neri gives penance for spreading grievious lies on a person by......making the sinners (in this case a couple ) conscious of the gravity of their sin -- As penance he sends them to pluck the feathers from a dead chicken, spreading them along their way through the streets of the city -- When they finish they meet with Fr Philip Neri who  suggests to them to TRY to gather back the feathers...which is impossible.......THAT IS HOW GRIEVIOUS IS THE SIN OF MAKING UP STORIES ON SOMEONE AND SPREADING THEM TO OTHER PEOPLE.

 
 
 
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Prayer to St. Philip Neri (Detachment from Temporal Goods)  

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6.19-21)
 

 
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ST PHILIP NERI - WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS THE VIRGIN MARY ?


Saint Philip Neri was often consulted by bishops to judge the authenticity of mystics. The practice of humility and obedience allowed him to infallibly test false mystics, because the devil is proud and independent. One day in 1560, the cardinals were divided about a nun who was having visions. Since they sought his opinion, Philip went to see the young sister. He looked at her warmly and said, "Sister, I didn't want to see you, I wanted to see the saint." And the nun replied, "But I am the saint!" Philip turned on his heels, retorting, "Ah, you're the saint? Thank you." And the verdict he gave the Cardinals was, "It's not from God..."

Another time, one of his penitents confided to him that the Virgin had come in the night in her room, filling it with joy and light! So Philip said, "Listen, the next time she comes you should spit in her face." The following night, the apparition spoke to her of God, but remembering the promise she had made to her spiritual director she spat in her face. The apparition immediately disappeared in a cloud of sulphur smoke: it was the devil. That same night, she awoke in the room full of light with a new apparition that smiled at her. This time the figure was not sitting on her bed, she was standing in a corner of the room. The seer went over to spit again, but the apparition just said, "You can spit if you want." The apparition was too far to spit on, but she congratulated her for her obedience to her spiritual director!
And Father Neri told her that that time it was the Virgin Mary.
http://www.lngplants.com/Saint_of_the_DayMay26.html
 

 
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San Filippu Neri - 26 ta' Mejju

Huwa wiehed mill-aktar qaddisin li jigbdu simpatija. Ghalkemm twieled Firenze fl-1515, izda aktar hu marbut mal-Belt Eterna. Kien bniedem imheggeg bl-imhabba ta' Alla li wrieha fl-imhabba lejn ghajru. Ghalhekk waqqaf ghaqda biex il-membri taghha jghinu u jiehdu hsieb il-morda foqra. Meta fl-1551 f'Ruma sar qassis inghata ghall-hidma fost it-tfal u z-zghazagh u beda l-opra ta' l-Oratorju ghat-tahrig fit-taghlim u fil-kant. Ghal dan il-ghan waqqaf il-kongregazzjoni ta' l-Oratorjani. Fost hwejjeg ohra fl-oratorju lit-tfal kien jghallimhom siltiet mill-Vangelu u jimmuzikahomlhom biex ikantawhom. Minn dan tnisslet l-idea ta' l-Oratorio -- generu muzikali li mbaghad zviluppawh kompozituri kbar bhal Mendelssohn, Hendel, Bach u ohrajn.

San Filippu Neri, magħruf ukoll bħala t-tieni Appostlu ta' Ruma (Firenze, 22 ta' Lulju 1515 -- Ruma, 25 ta' Mejju 1595) kien saċerdot Taljan, magħruf għat-twaqqif ta' soċjetà ta' qassisin sekulari msejħa "Il-Kongregazzjoni tal-Oratorju".


 
  
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 Holy Mass Proper Readings & Office of Readings
 


 
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Preferisco il Paradiso - Nippreferi l-Ġenna - I Prefer Heaven --- SAN FILIPPO NERI - SAINT PHILIP NERI, 2nd Apostle of Rome...



 
 
 
 
 
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