St Philip Neri, Whit Tuesday York 2026
Let the Holy Spirit inflame us with that fire with which, in so admirable a way, He took possession of St Philip’s heart.
In Fr Daniel’s silver jubilee year, I celebrate 30 years of priesthood today. I was ordained at Arundel Cathedral by the then Bishop Murphy O’Connor, it was the Feast of Pentecost and Philip’s Feast. I feel bound to approach St Philip Neri with an apology. Arundel Cathedral was originally dedicated to St Philip Neri with the hope of an oratory there. In due course, however, Pippo Buono was trumped by Philip Howard. Today their images stare each other out, across the crossing - although it may be some consolation to know the Philip Neri’s is much bigger.
I can’t help thinking that our Philip (or is he your Philip?) would have been rather amused by all this – sitting well, as it surely would, with both his humour and his humility.
Humour is a great gift. Perhaps not so much about the witty repost or the effortless and amusing story telling, with elements that may actually be true, but rather more (in the spirit of the Apostle of Joy) the ability to laugh at oneself and gently do so with others too.
For whilst the bearded won’t be shaving off half their beards and stray dogs in central York will be safe from the kisses of Brother Thomas, we will, all of us, ask for the grace simply to laugh at ourselves, albeit from time to time.
Let us ponder Philip’s priesthood.
Knowing St Philip as his sons do and as we who have such a devotion to him do, we can vibrantly imagine the humility, joy and even humour with which he received Holy Orders.
‘They have asked me out of love, I shall accept out of love’. Of course this is not levity.
But this is the levelling, loving humility which recognises, with a smile, the gaze of the Lord, His serene and kindly countenance.
From the day of his ordination St Philip set before his eyes Jesus, the Eternal High Priest, and united himself so intimately with Our Lord that, in all that he did, it was essentially the work of Christ that was seen, for he was that most elect and chosen instrument of grace.
He strove to be one with Christ as Christ is One with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. This surely lies at the very heart of the mystery of priesthood: to be a priest after the heart of Jesus Christ is the constant call to every Catholic priest.
Unusually for the time, Philip – like his always radical and forward thinking sons – celebrated Holy Mass every morning, uniting himself so intimately with Our Lord. This union frequently left him in a state of ecstasy. Our distractions are tedious and unwelcome, Philip’s were necessary, so that he might proceed and then command the required attention for the ritual of the Mass, lest he be absorbed for hours and hours in prayer.
As soon as he was a priest he devoted himself to hearing confessions, and for more than 40 years he was a confessor who was all compassion and love so that even the most hardened sinner would break from that dead former way and live the new life of grace.
Finally Philip preached all of Christ, reflecting Christ and engaging others with Christ, keeping others in Christ with fervent and unadorned eloquence, and a beauty which captivated.
Reflectingon Philip the priest one commentator put it like this:
What higher, holier ambition can urge the heart of a priest than this:
-To say Mass as Philip said it.
- To hear confessions as he heard them.
-To preach as he preached.
-To live with our brethren as he lived with his.
-To be unwearied in charity as he was.
One last thing.
When an early biographer wrote of Fr Philip ‘….in Philip priesthood was perfect and complete from the first, he began where others end’, we realise (as if we ever needed reminding) that that’s why we love him so! But we love him too because, from time to time, he will laugh with us and giggle with us and then laugh and laugh again.
