May 26- Saint Philip Neri, Priest—Memorial

Read entire reflection online >>>May 26: Saint Philip Neri, Priest—Memorial1515–1595Patron Saint of Rome, joy, comedians, and artistsCanonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622Liturgical Color: WhiteQuote: Leafing through the biography of St Philip, in fact, one is surprised and fascinated by the cheerful and relaxed method he used to educate, supporting each person with fraternal generosity and patience. As is well known, the saint used to put his teaching into short and wise maxims: “Be good, if you can;” “Scruples and melancholy, stay away from my house;” “Be simple and humble;” “He who does not pray is a speechless animal;” and, bringing his hand to his forehead, “Holiness is three fingers deep.” Behind the cleverness of these and many other “sayings,” we are aware of the acute and realistic knowledge he had acquired of human nature and the dynamics of grace. He translated the experience of his long life and the wisdom of a heart inhabited by the Holy Spirit into these immediate, terse teachings. These aphorisms have now become a patrimony of wisdom as it were for Christian spirituality. ~Saint John Paul IIPrayer:Saint Philip Neri, through deep prayer God transformed you and filled your heart with the gift of divine joy. You shared that gift with countless others, drawing many to the love of God. Please pray for me, that I may also be filled with the joy that permeated your heart so that I will be a holy instrument of God’s love. Saint Philip Neri, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source: Free RSS feed from mycatholic.life — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.Image: Indianapolis Museum of Art, via Wikimedia Commons