The Congregation of the Oratory
St. Philip Neri was born in Florence , Italy in 1515. At the age of 18, he left Florence for Rome , a city in which he would remain until his death in 1595 at the age of 80. Philip spent the first twenty years of his life in Rome as a layman, spending his days in teaching and works of charity and spending his nights in prayer in the ancient catacombs. In May of 1544, Philip, at prayer in the catacombs of St. Sebastian, experienced a profound mystical encounter with the Lord. This experience unleashed within Philip's heart the fire and passion of God's love, a love that would mark Philip for the rest of his life.
When Philip was ordained a priest in 1551, he immediately took up residence with a community of priests. Philip was all too aware of the difficulties of leading a virtuous life in Renaissance Rome. To counteract the temptations of his day he began to gather people around himself for daily prayer and works of charity. He had a special concern for those in the hospitals and for the young. As the number of his followers expanded, Philip had some of his group ordained as priests in order to provide for the spiritual needs of this developing community. In 1575, Pope Gregory XIII officially recognized this group of priests and brothers as a new institute in the Church, the Congregation of the Oratory. Since that time other Oratorian communities have been established, all seeking to follow the way of life marked out by the Second Apostle of Rome, St. Philip Neri.
Each Oratorian house is an independent house. Each house governs itself and is completely responsible for its own livelihood. Oratorians take no vows, since St. Philip desired the members of the community to remain because they freely chose to remain. While a man coming to the Oratory must have the intention to remain in his particular community until death, there are no external bonds keeping the man in the community. The sole bond is the bond of charity, the mutual love of the brothers for each other.
The common life is essential for an Oratorian. It is in the rhythm of daily life together that an Oratorian grows into a deeper sense of his particular vocation. The Oratory is best compared to a family. The members work together, pray together, eat together and share the tasks of family life together. It is particularly in the two areas of common prayer and common table that the relationships among the members are strengthened and deepened.
As the name suggests, the heart of the Oratorian life is prayer, particularly the daily period of common prayer held each evening. The Scriptures serve a primary role in the spiritual life of an Oratorian and the reading of and reflection on the Word holds a special place in our life of prayer. The Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation are also an indispensable part of our lives as sons of St. Philip. Our personal relationships with Christ are strengthened and nurtured in our sharing the joys and struggles of faith with each other.
This fraternal life is manifested in the style of government of an Oratorian house. While the Provost of the house is by law a Major Superior with all the canonical rights, duties and authority that accompany the office, within the community itself he exercises his authority as a first among equals. All the members of the Congregation who have reached six years in the community have the responsibility to make all major decisions. Once established by the Holy See a congregation of the Oratory is a permanent fixture in the life of the Church. The members of the community live with each other for the remainder of their lives and it is through this common life, sealed with the bond of love, that an Oratorian continues to discover the joy of his vocation.