Lectio et Oratio

Episode 113 -- Life of St. Philip IX.113 -- Young Men Can Follow the Lord

Did St Philip have any trouble building the Chiesa Nuova?

Yes! We will read about the strange miracle of the roof not colasping at the Chiesa Nuova. St Philip was given a vision of Our Lady holding up an unsupported beam! The workmen went to inspect. And they found the beam in mid-air!

Episode 112 -- Life of St. Philip IX.112 -- Mary Upholds our Lives

Did St Philip have any trouble building the Chiesa Nuova?

Yes! We will read about the strange miracle of the roof not colasping at the Chiesa Nuova. St Philip was given a vision of Our Lady holding up an unsupported beam! The workmen went to inspect. And they found the beam in mid-air!

Episode 111 -- Life of St. Philip IX.111 -- Lay Holiness is Possible

We read about one of St Philip's holiest female penitents. He was convinced that she went straight to heaven when she died. Lavinia Massimi was married. She was a mother. Holiness is possible in the world. "Let us be saints in our own homes," St Philip used to say.

Episode 110 -- Life of St. Philip IX.110 -- Human Malice and Divine Providence

We read about the opposition St Philip faced from some of the neighbours as he was building the new church. People even physically attacked those working on it. But the money and workers kept coming. St Philip was convinced that "all things work for the good of those who love God" (Romans 8:28). The malice of men, their evil intentions, can be turned by God to good!

Episode 109 -- Life of St. Philip IX.109 -- Greatsouledness and God‘s Providence

We read about St Philip's holy ambition to build a large church. Even without the money raised, he ordered the old church to be demolished. One day at Mass, God revealed to him the size of the new church. When he told the workmen where to dig, they found a huge ancient wall. The wall became the foundation of that side of the church. May the Lord Himself be the foundation of our spiritual lives!

Episode 108 -- Life of St. Philip IX.108 -- Valuing Relics of Saints

We read about St Philip's help to Olimpia Troiani. She was dying in labour. St Philip came to visit. He prayed. And she not only gave birth to a lovely young girl, but the mother survived. Philip often prayed for such women. He often brought relics for saints to their homes. As God worked marvels through the bodies of saints while they lived, so he continues to work marvels through their holy remains.

Episode 107 -- Life of St. Philip IX.107 -- Papal Foundation of the Oratory

Is it hard, even in the Church, when sharing a building?

Yes! We will read about the difficulties with the new space the Florentines built for St Philip and his men. St Philip realized that borrowing this church and house left them less free to do the work the Lord wanted.

Episode 106 -- Life of St. Philip IX.106 -- Victory Through the Rosary

We read about two women who nearly died during childbirth. Both were of the highest nobility in Rome. They were women of great wealth and learning and responsibilities. St Philip was a spiritual father for the rich and the poor.

Episode 105 -- Life of St. Philip IX.105 -- Staying in One Place like SPN

We read about the offer by the Florentines to build a new space for St Philip's growing Congregation. This new space allowed for greater numbers of men to hear the sermons and music at the Oratory.

Episode 104 -- Life of St. Philip IX.104 -- Healing Through Confession

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Should one intentionally hold back confessing a serious sin just because one is embarrassed?

No. We will read about a young man who was so ashamed of a sin against the sixth commandment that he tried to go to confession without confessing it. St Philip, with his gift of reading souls, recognized what he was doing. He told him that far from being forgiven he was actually committing more sins. But would the young man listen?

Last episode we read about the election of Pope Gregory XIII on May 13. May 13 is the same day that Fr Robinson was ordained a priest. Fr Robinson is the Founder of the Toronto Oratory, the one who introduced St Philip's way of life to Canada. Pope Gregory XIII is the Pope who approved the Oratorian Constitutions.

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Episode 103 -- Life of St. Philip IX.103 -- Helping Others Across Time and Space

Are all St Philip's spiritual children famous?

No. We read about the healing of a young man named Ambrogio. Only his first name has come down to us. But around the same time as he was healed, Gregory XIII was elected Pope. Small and great men, famous and unknown men and women are called by the Lord.

Last episode we read about four well known Oratorians who all joined in 1571. There are special years in the life of the Church, in the life of a Congregation, and in each human life. The Lord has special timing for each event in our life. All he asks is that we trust Him. He calls us to His service at certain times and places for reasons that one only grasps much later on (and possibly only in heaven!).

Episode 102 -- Life of St. Philip IX.102 -- Praying for Vocations

How important is prayer for priestly vocations?

Very important. We will read about a remarkable year in terms of Oratorian vocations, the year 1571. Four new men joined this young community, most of whom would play significant roles later on. But also 1571 was the year that Cesare Baronius almost died of a fever. He was the one St Philip had foreseen would do so much work to combat the false versions of Church history produced in Protestant countries. We will read about the way in which St Philip prayed for and obtained his recovery.

Last episode we read about St Philip's spiritual direction of Giovani and Lucrezia Animuccia. For the last five years of their marriage they lived under a vow of total abstinence from marital relations. For fifteen years prior to this, they had lived voluntarily in the same way. St Philip reluctantly agreed to their plans. Giovani Animuccia, a famous Church musician, died in 1571. Three years later he appeared at the Oratory asking for prayers. In other words, he died in God's friendship. He died in the state of grace, but without being perfectly purified. To be a friend of Christ, chastity, self-control in matters of sexual pleasure, is necessary. But chastity alone will not make us saints. To be a saint we need to love God perfectly. We have to follow lovingly whatever means He suggests for us to follow.

Episode 101 -- Life of St. Philip IX.101 -- Musicians and Spirituality

Did St Philip understand musicians?

Yes. We read about the final years of one of St Philip's most famous penitents: Giovanni Animuccia (1514-71). Like St Philip, Animuccia was from Florence. They were almost the exact same age. But Animuccia came to Rome much later than St Philip, around 1550. He became the director of the Capella Giulia, the 24 member member (12 men 12 boys) choir that sang at all Solemn Liturgies at St Peter's, unless the Pope himself was celebrating the Mass. The choir had been refunded by Pope Julius II. Over time Animuccia divided his time between this choir and the music at the Oratory. "He is noted," Fr Bertram writes, "as a leading exponent of the Roman polyphonic school, second only to Palestrina." Under St Philip's direction Animuccia lived a devout and balanced spiritual life. Philip prudently moderated his strong desires for holiness.

Episode 100 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.100 -- Who is the Devil

We read about St Philip's attitude towards demonic possession. St Philip was hated by the devil for his power at driving the devil from those who were truly possessed (those who had knowingly and willingly opened their minds and hearts to satan). But St Philip was very hesitant to assume direct demonic possession. He usually looked for other causes for their unusual behaviour: brain afflictions, excessive sadness, stomach problems. At the same time, St Philip knew how to treat real cases of possession. His tactics were wise.

Last episode we read about the death of one of St Philip's penitents on Easter Sunday. The man fell ill on Holy Thursday night. Under St Philip's direction, he cheerfully accepted whatever the Lord would send him. What a lesson in the importance of comforming ourselves to the death and resurrection of Christ. The main meaning of our life is to share in the Lord's own death and resurrection. Such a sharing begins with baptism and is completed when we die in the Lord, strengthened by the last sacraments.

Episode 99 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.99 -- Conformed to Christ in His Death and Resurrection

Did St Philip ever witness a dramatic death?

Yes. One of his penitents, whom we will read about, came to confession on Holy Thursday. St Philip knew that the Lord was asking something great of this man. He was not sure what it was. The man went home, fell ill, and died four days later. He died, it would seem, on Easter Sunday. We learn from this dramatic death a great spiritual secret.

Last episode we read about the conclusion of the Pope Pius V's investigation of the Oratory and St Philip. But we also read about the death of certain unnamed persons who mistreated St Philip. St Philip's contemporaries were very struck by this strange phenomenon. People who persecuted St Philip often had something bad happen to them. Why would this happen? St Philip never made much of it. But it was, to those around him, a sign of divine favour. God had raised up St Philip for a special work in the Church.

Episode 98 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.98 -- Evil Intentions Confounded

Did the Dominican inspectors find things in good order at the Oratory?

Yes. The remarkable thing about the investigation that Pius V undertook of the Oratorians was how the most favourable report ever was given to him by the two priests he sent to inspect. The aim of those who complained was to have St Philip's operations curtailed or shut down. But instead the work of St Philip grew in Papal support. Through this trial, St Pius V and St Philip became much closer.

Last episode we read about the prudence of St Pius V. He wanted to find out for himself whether the rumours he heard about St Philip were true. He knew there is always two sides to a story. He knew he had to investigate. He decided to send two Dominican theologians to hear the sermons at the Oratory. Neither Dominican knew about the other's mission. Pope Pius V showed a certain wisdom and generosity in his approach to getting to the bottom of things.

Episode 97 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.97 -- Both Sides of a Story

Did St Philip allow laymen to preach?

Yes. In the earliest days of the Oratory exercises, St Philip would have laymen speak on topics they knew well, especially if they were good speakers. The Pope heard about this and sent investigators! Why did the Pope hear complaints? People who did not like St Philip complained.

Last episode we read about St Philip's way of responding to insults. He showed patience and kindness. He did not return evil for evil. What power the Holy Spirit has to transform our hearts!

Episode 96 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.96 -- Trials for Christ‘s Friends

Does Our Lord allow his closest friends to undergo trials?

Yes. We read about why Our Lord allowed St Philip to be persecuted and criticized. He was often criticized by those closest to him. Fr Gallon recounts how St Philip responded. He set before himself the power of the Holy Spirit. By the Holy Spirit he become patient and kind.

Last episode we read about the way St Philip tried to prepare Constanzo Tassone for death. Right before he was honoured by the Pope, Tassone went to see St Philip. St Philip knew he was coming over and knew that he would die soon. And so he had two teenagers lie at the entrance of the doorway like corpses. We are not told whether Tassone realized what this signified. Let us ask for the grace to accept our death when and where the Lord wills it to happen. Through death, we go to God.

Episode 95 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.95 -- Death the Door to God

Did St Philip know when his close friends would die?

Yes, quite often. We read about a prophetic gesture that St Philip used to warn one of his friends about his upcoming death. Constanzo Tassone was visiting Rome to receive a special gift from the Pope. But St Philip saw that the end of Constanzo's life was very near.

Episode 94 -- Life of St. Philip VIII.94 -- Pure Love of God and the Harvest of Souls

We read about a very laudatory account of the early fruit of the Oratory in Rome. Years before the Pope formally established this new spiritual family in the Church, they were drawing large groups of men from all walks of life to greater heights of holiness. But what was the true secret of St Philip's success with souls? His pure love for God and their salvation. God had so purified St Philip's soul that his love no longer included selfish motives. He truly desired God's glory and the salvation of others.