Homily for the Memorial of
Blessed Philip Rinaldi
Dec. 5, 2025
Salesian High School, New Rochelle, N.Y.
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| Fr. Rinaldi recollected before the casket with Don Bosco's remains 1929 |
One of the early Salesians who knew
Don Bosco very well* compared Blessed Philip to Don Bosco. He said that their personalities, character,
and holiness were so alike that the only difference between them was their
voices.
No one here, obviously, has ever
heard the voice of either Don Bosco or Blessed Philip. But we know that both were fatherly priests,
priests who cared very much for the young people in their care, showing
everyone great kindness and patience.
Two characteristics of Blessed
Philip Rinaldi that I’d highlight, besides his fatherliness, are his devotion
to our Blessed Mother and his life of prayer.
He always prayed to Mary Help of Christians for guidance and help as a
young priest, as provincial, and as a superior of over 5,000 Salesians all over
the world. (There are a lot more now,
well over 13,000.) Whenever he had a
problem, he turned to Mary for the wisdom that he needed to solve it. All of us can do that.
Blessed Philip also knew that,
however busy he was, he needed to pray.
He needed to keep in touch with our Lord Jesus, who is the center of our
lives, who gives us the strength we need each day to carry out our
responsibilities, who protects us from the devil’s temptations, who leads us to
heaven. At the beginning of each day, we
make a general intention to do everything for God and with Jesus, and at
moments during the day, we remind ourselves of that.
* Fr. John Baptist Francesia.
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