Not surprisingly, his love of life, joke books and pranks has made St. Philip Neri, the patron saint of joy.
Philip Neri was born in Florence on July 22, 1515. Although he had always hoped to work as a priest in India, he had vision that he was to serve the Lord in Rome. Philip went to Rome and worked as a tutor, wrote poetry, and studied philosophy and theology. When he grew tired of learning, he sold his books and gave the money to the poor.
Although he resided in a bustling city, Philip lived as a hermit, visiting and caring for the sick. He helped found the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity, and later the Congregation of the Oratory, a group of priests dedicated to preaching and teaching.
Philip finally enetered the priesthood in 1551. Gregory XIV would later try to make him a cardinal, but Philip declinec. Throughout his 45 years of service in Rome, Philip wrote no books and made no major statements on theology, yet he became on of Rome's most popular priests, and was dubbed the "Second Apostle of Rome."
St. Philip died in 1595.
When Pope Gregory XIV wanted to make Philip a cardinal, the pope hung the flat hat of a cardinal on Philip's door. Philip declined the honor ... and tossed the hat in the air like a frisbee.
- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw