St. Philip Benizi and the Servites
by VP
Posted on Tuesday August 23, 2022 at 12:00AM in From the Past
"One of the most illustrious members of the Order of Servites was St. Philip Benizi, who exercised the office of General after St. Benedict de Lantella, and who was elected in 1267. St. Philip sent his religious to Poland, Hungary, and even the Indies. He arranged the first constitutions of the order, or rather gathered into one the regulations of his predecessors, and decreed that they should be read in the refectory every Saturday.
About this time, the institution of the Servites was threatened with destruction. In 1215, the Council of Lateran had forbidden the establishment of new religious orders, and this had been confirmed by that of Lyons in 1274. Innocent V, who had become Pope in 1274, took it for granted that the Servites were included in this prohibition, and therefore determined to suppress them. He drew the attention of Cardinal Otthoboni, Protector of the order, to the decree, and having cited St. Philip Benizi to Rome, he forbade him to receive novices or to sell any of the goods of the order, which he confiscated in favor of the Holy See. He at the same time forbade the Servites to hear confessions.
Fortunately for these religious, the Pope lived but a short time, and his successor John XXII, did not press the affair. It was agitated under Nicholas III, Martin IV, and Honorius IV, during which time the Servites had much to suffer on the side of some of the Bishops. Finally, after much deliberation, it was settled in favor of the Servites by Honorius IV, in 1286." [Source: History of Religious Orders, by Rev. Charles Warren Currier 1896 Page 323.]
"Philip Benizi was about to die, and Julianna was but fifteen years of age. Nevertheless, enlightened from on high, the Saint hesitated not: he confided the Order to Juliana's hands, and so slept in the peace of our Lord.
(...)
Benedict XI, in 1304, gave to the Servites the definitive sanction of the Church.
So true is it, that in the counsels of divine Providence, nor rank, nor age, not sex, count for aught! The simplicity of a soul that has wounded the Heart of the Spouse is stronger in her humble submission that highest authority; and her unknown prayer prevails over powers established by God Himself." [ Source: The Liturgical Year: The time after Pentecost, by Dom Gueranger]
