Philip Neri was born in 1515 in Florence, Italy. He was such a kind and cheerful little boy that people called him good little Philip. He studied in Rome, a city where many people had forgotten their faith, but not Philip. One night while he was praying, the Holy Spirit filled his heart with God’s love and the joy of the Holy Spirit. He became a priest and used the gift of the Holy Spirit to help the people of Rome to grow in their faith.

Through the sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit comes to us just as it did to Philip. And like him, we are called to inspire others to do the work of God. He is the patron (May 26) of joy and the city of Rome.

Saints are real-life heroes of faith who inspire us by their virtues to become more like Christ. In the Saints and Me! series, these beautifully illustrated early-reader books tell the real stories of saints that come to life and connect with today’s children aged 4 to 9.