Spiritual Advice from St. Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri (1515 - 1595) founded the Congregation of the Oratory which was created to be a society of men who shared the saint's concerns for the poor and for helping others grow in the spiritual life. The men who joined did not take vows, but they committed to living out the Gospel. The congregation would be officially recognized by the Church in 1575.

In Fr. Philip, the men had a shepherd who was a holy priest and committed to evangelization. The advice he gave in spiritual direction came from his own experience, deep prayer life, and the living out of his priestly vocation.

Before becoming a priest, Philip had lived in Rome as a layman for about seventeen years. During that time, he carried on his own apostolate of spreading the Gospel through his personal relationships and charisma. He organized prayer groups and led pilgrimages to the various churches scattered throughout Rome. Philip was also involved in ministering to the needs of the poor, the ill, prostitutes, and the many pilgrims who came to Rome.

Eventually, under the direction of his confessor, Persiano Rossa, he discerned a vocation to the priesthood. As a diocesan priest, he continued his ministry throughout Rome. However, the need to encourage and get help from his brother priests led him to found the Congregation of the Oratory.

Along for his zeal for souls which earned him the nickname of an Apostle to Rome after Sts. Peter and Paul, Fr. Philip was known for his sense of humor. When he needed to move from one apartment to another in Rome, he invited a number of clergy and lay people to come to his old apartment for a gathering. Unbeknownst to them, he put them all to work. To each one, he handed an item from his apartment that needed to move to the new place. With his directions, they all began a parade of his belongings (albeit not too many as he lived simply) through the streets of Rome to help him move to his new abode.

At one point in time, the saint wrote down these words of wisdom for his spiritual children. We might do well to heed some of his spiritual advice.

1. Blessed are you, my children, who have time to do good.

2. Now is not the time for sleep; for Paradise was not made for cowards.

3. Children, keep up a cheerful temper. I will have no scruples or melancholy: only avoid sin.

4. Avoid inordinate mirth, because this roots up the little good which has been acquired.

5. You must not leave your devout exercises; but if you wish to recreate yourselves with a walk, let these be fulfilled, and then go.

6. Do not care to attempt too many devotions; but undertake a few, and persevere in them.

7. You must not look to becoming saints in four days, because perfection is acquired with great labor, and by degrees.

8. Do not have an interest to be masters of spiritual matters and convert others, but attend to regulating yourself.

9. Children, mortify yourselves in small things, that you may afterwards be able the more easily to mortify yourselves in great things.

10. To choose your vocation, time is required, advice, and prayer.

11. To preserve chastity, it is an excellent prescription to discover your thoughts immediately to your confessor.

12. Do not nourish your body delicately, fly bad companions and evil communication.

13. Avoid idleness, especially during the hours after dinner; because it is at that time that the devil commonly makes his fiercest attacks.

14. Do not touch each other familiarly, not even in jest; nor have private conversations with each other.

15. Do not trust yourselves whatever may be your experience, but fly every occasion.

16. Go often to confession, at least every eight days; and go to communion according to the advice of your confessor.

17. Be devout to Mary, because this is the best means of obtaining the grace of God.

18. Before choosing a confessor, recommend yourselves in prayer to God; but having once chosen, do not readily change without just cause.

19. When at confession, tell your worst sins first, that the devil may not tempt you to end by hiding them.

20. Take counsel always of your spiritual father, and recommend yourselves to the prayers of all.

21. Give yourselves always, and in all things, into the hands of your superiors; because obedience is a compendious way to acquire perfection.

22. Pray continually to the Lord, that He may grant you the gift of perseverance.

23. Endeavor to have God always before your eyes.

24. Never excuse yourselves when corrected; and keep yourselves from saying anything in your own praise, even in jest.

25. Read, O my children, the lives of the Saints; hear sermons; and do not fail to practice the prayers and other exercises of the congregation; because they are very pleasing to the Divine majesty.

Children, in order not to fall into sin, keep profoundly engraved in your memories the three 'warnings given by a holy hermit to certain youths, and act according to them faithfully.

First warning. Fly the occasions of sin.

Second warning. Fly the occasions of sin.

Third Warning. Fly the occasions of sin.

Fly quickly, fly far, fly always.

Children, do you really desire to be saved!

Then ever keep,

First, eternity in mind;

Secondly, God in your heart;

Thirdly, the world far away.

This do, and you shall live.