St. Philip Neri In 1551 he was ordained a priest and soon thereafter founded the Society of the Oratory. His thrust within the community was spiritual reading, sacred music and works of charity. The Saint's life makes for a good read and a return to hagiography (lives of the saints) which seems to have fallen between the cracks of our modern world.
Reading all that Philip accomplished and how he went about responding to the call of the Holy Spirit in his life, one cannot but think how challenging it was to answer a call to priesthood, let alone holiness, in the 16th century. It was a challenge that exits so clearly in our own times.
Interestingly enough to me, with my Jesuit background, is that Philip did have direct contact with Ignatius of Loyola. They were in Rome at the same time. Many of those who were refused entrance into the Society of Jesus subsequently found a home with the Oratorians. Hmmm!
