[Officium] St. Philip Neri, Confessor [Oratio] O God, who hast exalted thy blessed Confessor Philip to the glory of thy saints be appeased and grant that as we rejoice in his feast we may profit by the example of his virtues. $Per Dominum [Lectio4] Philip Neri was born of godly and respectable parents at Florence, (on the 23rd day of July, in the year of grace 1515) From his earliest childhood he gave signs of the holiness of life which he afterwards attained. As a young man he gave up the rich inheritance which would have come to him from his uncle, and went to Rome, where, in the study of philosophy and theology, he gave himself altogether to Christ. His self-control was such that he sometimes fasted from all food for three days at a time. He was instant in watching and prayer, and during the frequent pilgrimages which he made to the seven churches of Rome, it was his custom to remain all night in prayer to God in the Catacomb of Kallistus. (On the 23rd of May, 1551) he became a Priest in obedience to the advice of his Confessor, and afterwards made the salvation of souls the one object of his existence; he heard confessions with unwearied tenderness until his dying day, and became the spiritual father in Christ of many sons, whom it was his beloved work to feed day by day upon the Word of God, upon the often receiving of the Sacraments, upon instant prayer, and upon other godly works: to the which end he founded the Congregation of the Oratory. [Lectio5] He was full of the love of God, and his heart was so hot therewith, that it became straitened in its place, and the Lord was pleased to ease him by(the gristle which joined) the fourth and fifth ribs (on his left side) breaking, and so allowing more play to the internal organs. Sometimes, when he was saying Mass, or more intent than usual in prayer, he was seen to be raised off the ground, and become, in a strange manner, all shining. He was ever ready to succour the poor and needy with kindly services, in which works God was pleased to make him meet once to give alms to an Angel, and again, when once by night he was carrying bread to the hungry, and was fallen into a pit, an Angel drew him out unhurt. He longed to be lowly, and always shrank from honours, and from dignities in the Church, whereof several of the highest were diverse times offered to him, but he always firmly refused them. [Lectio6] He was illustrious for the gift of prophecy, and had a marked and very wonderful power of reading the thoughts of men's souls. He ever kept his own virginity undefiled, and could distinguish those that were pureminded by a sort of sweet savour, and the unclean, on the contrary, by a kind of stench. He sometimes appeared in double to persons at a distance, and brought them help when they were in peril. He healed many that were sick and dying. He also raised one dead man to life. He was honoured by seeing several times heavenly spirits, and likewise the Virgin Mother of God herself. He saw the souls of diverse persons, radiant with glory, ascend to heaven. In the year of salvation 1595 the Feast of the Body of Christ fell upon the 25th day of May. Philip, on that day, said Mass with extraordinary gladness of spirit, and performed the other religious works of the day, and after the hour of midnight, at the time he had himself foretold, he fell asleep in the Lord, in the eighty-second year of his life. Gregory XV., finding that God had glorified him by many miracles, enrolled his name among those of the saints. [Lectio94] Philip Neri was born in Florence of good and devout parents. Giving up a large inheritance from his uncle, he went to Rome, where he studied philosophy and the sacred sciences and dedicated himself wholly to Christ. He became a priest out of obedience and gave himself up completely to the saving of souls. Through hearing confessions, in which he persevered to the last day of his life, he brought forth innumerable sons for Christ. Desiring to nourish them with the daily bread of God's word, with frequent reception of the sacraments, with constant prayer, and with other exercises of piety, he founded the Congregation of the Oratory. His heart was wounded by the love of God, burning with such ardour that it could only be contained within his breast because the Lord miraculously enlarged the breast by breaking two of his ribs, and forming an arch over the heart. Philip was famed for the gift of prophecy and for his wonderful penetration of the thoughts of men's hearts. He kept his virginity always intact; and he had the gift of distinguishing those who cultivated purity by a good odour, and those who did not by a stench. At the age of eighty, in the year of salvation 1595, he fell asleep in the Lord. &teDeum