Oratory of Saint Philip Neri

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The Oratory of Saint Philip Neri is a congregation of Roman Catholic priests and lay-brothers who live together in a community bound together by no formal vows but only with the bond of charity. They are commonly referred to as Oratorians.

The Congregation was founded by St. Philip Neri (1515-1595) in the city of Rome. Today it has spread around the world, with over 70 Oratories and some 500 priests.^[1]

The post-nominal initials commonly used to identify members of the order are "C.O.". The abbreviation "Cong. Orat." is also used.

1 Daily Life
2 Governance
3 The Habit
4 Oratories around the world
- 4.1 United Kingdom
- 4.2 North America
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Daily Life

Oratorians have what is called 'stability' which means they are committed to a particular Oratory, though a member may move if there is a serious enough reason. Unlike the members of a religious order, Oratorians are not bound by a rule to pray in common, though this is something that Oratorians consider important, and they commit themselves to praying together twice each day, and having one communal meal which is usually dinner. Oratorians normally have a set time each day for praying together in silent meditation, this ends classically with the recitation of a litany. Although some oratories may have a dominant mission (e.g. London which runs a school), in general the members of the Oratory spend the day involved in various ministries: teaching, parish work, spiritual direction, campus ministry, administration or maintaining the fabric of the community house.

[edit] Governance

Three documents govern the Oratory. The first is the "General Statutes" of the Congregation, which are guidelines to be followed throughout the world; these may be changed or modified when representatives from each oratory gather every six years in a meeting called a "congresso". The second is the "Particular Statutes", which outline how an individual oratory is to be conducted; these must be approved by Rome. The third documents is the "Constitutions", which establish general norms, and outline the relationship between the Congregation and the Holy See. As the Oratory is a confederation, there is no central authority such as is found within the Dominicans, Franciscans, or Jesuits. Technically, each oratory is established by the Pope, and thus it has appeal to the Holy See in serious matters.

For organisational purposes, the confederative Congregation elects one of its own to represent the interests of the Congregation to the Holy See; this is done through the Congregation for Religious and Institutes of Apostolic Life. This person, known as Procurator General, resides in Rome at the Chiesa Nuova, which was home to the first followers of St. Philip Neri.

[edit] The Habit

John Henry Newman and the Oratorian collar

As Oratorians are secular priests, they wear roughly the same dress as parish priests. However, the black cassock is fastened with a set a buttons curved from the top to the righthand side. In addition there is a distinctive Oratorian clerical collar; white cloth that folds over the collar all around the neck, with a number of folds in, indicating from which particular Oratory a priest originates. The cassock is bound by a sash, called a fascia. The habit is given at formal reception into the community which comes after a few months of living together to see if the candidate fits in well. Members often, but do not necessarily, wear the cassock whilst engaged in their respective ministries, as this may be deemed unsuitable. In some countries (such as Spain) the distinctive Oratorian cassock and collar was never adopted and there is no way to tell Oratorians from other secular priests. On such occasions, members of the Oratory would wear the normal street clothes of a cleric, i.e., dark suit, but with the Oratorian collar.

[edit] Oratories around the world

The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

[edit] United Kingdom

Cardinal John Henry Newman founded the first Oratory in the English speaking world when he founded the Birmingham Oratory in the city of Birmingham on 2nd February 1848. This was initially located at Old Oscott, which he renamed Maryvale (after the Oratory church in Rome, 'Santa Maria in Vallicella'). After a couple of moves this community eventually settled at their present site in Edgbaston. Attached to the Birmingham Oratory was the famous Oratory School now at Woodcote, Oxfordshire, near Reading.

English houses also exist in London (the London Oratory) and Oxford (the Oxford Oratory), and there is an 'Oratory in Formation' in Manchester at the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus.