26 May: Feast of Saint Philip Neri

by popadmin | May 23, 2021 | CIC Saint Writeups

26 May: Feast of Saint Philip Neri. Born in 1515, Philip Neri gave up material wealth at the age of 17 and chose to serve God instead of a career in business. He went to Rome and studied philosophy and theology until he thought his studies were interfering with his prayer life. He then threw away his books. After dark he would go to the catacombs to pray. One night, he felt a globe of light enter his mouth and sink into his heart. This gave him so much energy to serve God that he went out to work at the hospital of the incurables and starting speaking about God to everyone from beggars to bankers. Philip found the city of Rome suffering great spiritual deterioration due to ill effects of the Renaissance. Philip committed to re-evangelize Rome. He began with the youth. Philip did pilgrimages for children to keep them out of trouble. He took them to the seven churches of the city, talking all the way and opening their hearts with his joyful spirit. (The practice of pilgrimage to the seven churches is still followed, especially on Holy Thursday.) Philip also reached out to businessmen, giving talks on theology and religion, followed by prayers. These gatherings grew in great numbers. After his ordination into the priesthood, Philip remained a champion of the Faith. He instituted the devotion known as Forty Hours, in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for 40 hours while continuous prayer is made. He established a group of priests, the Oratorians. St. Philip was known for his burning love of God. So ardently did this fire of divine love affect him that once during Pentecost the beating of his heart broke two ribs. It was a wound that never healed. For years, Philip worked tirelessly in Rome. He revived the practice of frequent Holy Communion. He promoted frequent confession, himself spending hours a day in the confessional. As a confessor he was in great demand; among his penitents was St. Ignatius. Philip made himself available to everyone at any hour, even at night. He said: “They can chop wood on my back so long as they do not sin.” Humility was the virtue he most tried to teach others and to learn himself. When one man asked if he could wear a hair shirt, Philip said yes – if he wore the hair shirt outside his clothes! The man obeyed and found humility in the jokes he received. There are stories of Philip himself wearing ridiculous clothes or walking around with half his beard shaved off. The greater his reputation for holiness the sillier he would be for the sake of humility. On the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1595, Philip’s doctor told him his health was poor. Philip realized it was his time to go to God. The rest of the day, he listened to confessions as normal. Before heading to bed, Philip stated, “Last of all, we must die.” That night, Philip suffered a heart attack and died. Four years later, his body was exposed and found in good condition. It was moved to the new Oratorian Church, Chiesa Nuova, where it rests today. He was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1615. In 1622, Pope Gregory XV canonized St. Philip Neri with the title “The Apostle of Rome.” He is the patron saint of Rome, United States Army Special Forces, humor and joy.

“Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life. Therefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits.”   – St. Philip Neri

Ideas for celebrating this feast at home:

• Click here to read quotes from St. Philip; print one to hang on your wall.
• Download a St. Philip Neri activity for kids here.
• St. Philip Neri was known for his sense of humor. Today, try to laugh at yourself when something annoying happens. Try to make someone else happy with your cheerful disposition or loving act of service. Tell jokes and share smiles around the dinner table.
• St. Philip’s favorite feast was Corpus Christi: make a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

(sources: catholic.org, saintsfeastfamily.com, The Church’s Year of Grace by Pius Parsch)

22 May: Feast of Saint Rita of Cascia

by popadmin | May 16, 2021 | CIC Saint Writeups

22 May: Feast of Saint Rita of Cascia. In the hills of Cascia, Italy, Antonio and Amata Lotti welcomed their only child, Margherita, in 1381. Her name meant “pearl” and she was called Rita. Growing up in Cascia, Rita knew the local Augustinian nuns and was attracted to their way of life. But her parents arranged a marriage to provide security, and so Rita obediently married Paolo Mancini with whom she had two sons. In the troubling political climate, there was often conflict between families. Paolo was the victim of one conflict, and was murdered. The societal expectation was that the boys should avenge father’s murder. Rita forgave her husband’s killers. She faced a steep challenge in convincing her sons to do the same. She pointed to the image of the crucified Christ and the fact that he forgave those who killed him. Soon, however, both sons died of illness. Trusting God after these tragedies, Rita felt called to a second vocation: religious life. The sisters at the Monastery were hesitant and refused her request, because although Rita had forgiven her husband’s killers, family had not. There were members of the rival family in the convent; her presence would be detrimental to community harmony. And so, Rita set out to make peace between the families. She went to her husband’s family and exhorted them to put aside hostility. They were convinced by her courage. The rival family, astounded by this, also agreed. The families exchanged a peace embrace and signed an agreement, putting the vendetta to rest forever. At age 36, Rita finally was accepted into the Augustinian convent. She lived a life of prayer, contemplation and spiritual reading for 40 years. On Good Friday of 1442, she had an extraordinary experience. In contemplation before an image of Jesus, she was deeply moved and spoke her willingness to relieve Christ’s suffering by sharing in his pain. Her offer was accepted, and Rita was given a thorn from his crown penetrating her forehead. The wound it caused remained open until her death. Toward the end of her life, Rita was visited by a relative who asked if there was anything she could do. Rita asked for a rose from the garden of her family home. It was January, the dead of winter, but upon arrival at Rita’s family garden, the relative astonishingly found a fresh rose in the snowy garden. She brought the miraculous rose to Rita, who died peacefully on May 22, 1457. The convent bells immediately began to peal unaided by human hands. So many people came to look upon the gentle face of the “Peacemaker of Cascia” that her burial had to be delayed. It became clear that something exceptional was occurring as her body was free from nature’s usual course. It is still incorrupt today, in a glass coffin in the basilica of Cascia, where numerous miracles have been wrought. On May 24, 1900, Pope Leo XIII canonized St. Rita, heralding her as the saint of impossible and desperate cases. St. Rita’s Church at Cascia was raised to the ranks of a basilica, September 11, 1955, by Pope Pius XII.

Ideas for celebrating this feast at home:

• In honor of her name, make “Margherita” Pizza for dinner (recipe here!) Really, any Italian themed meal would be fitting.
• Plant a rose bush in your yard: roses are one of the symbols associated with St. Rita.
• Read the address that Pope St. JP II gave on the 100^th anniversary of St. Rita’s canonization: link here.

·         Go to confession: exemplified by forgiveness of her husband’s murderers, Saint Rita is patroness of reconciliation.

·         Peacemaking: the Saint of Cascia didn’t just forgive, she helped two rival families set aside a vendetta and make peace. Is there a person you need to make peace with? Be inspired by Saint Rita to do it today.

·         Play a game of baseball! St. Rita has been loosely associated with the game of baseball. If you’re not convinced that an unofficial patron can help you out in the bottom of the ninth, remember that Saint Rita is also the Patroness of Impossible Causes!

(sources: excerpts from “The Precious Pearl” by Fr. Michael DiGregorio; stritashrine.org)