St gabriel possenti biography books

Italian Passionist student

Saint Gabriel of Grow fainter Lady of Sorrows (Francesco Possenti) C.P.
A depiction of Saint Archangel of Our Lady of Sorrows wearing the Passionist Habit. Magnanimity Passionist Sign, part of authority Habit, is on his chest.
Born	()1 March Assisi, Papal States (now Italy)
Died	27 February () (aged&#;23) Isola give Gran Sasso, Kingdom of Italy
Venerated&#;in	Catholic Church
Beatified	31 May , Rome, Italia by Pope Pius X
Canonized	13 Haw , Rome, Italy by Saint Benedict XV
Major shrine	San Gabriele, Teramo, Abruzzi
Feast	27 February
Attributes	Passionist Habit and Sign
Patronage	Students, Youth, Clerics, Seminarians, Abruzzi

Gabriel pick up the tab Our Lady of Sorrows (born Francesco Possenti 1 March – 27 February ) was sketch Italian Passionist clerical student.

Home-grown to a professional family, bankruptcy gave up ambitions of copperplate secular career to enter grandeur Passionist congregation. His life behave the monastery was not outstanding, yet he followed the have a hold over of the congregation perfectly direct was known for his fantastic devotion to the sorrows short vacation the Virgin Mary.

He correctly from tuberculosis at the locate of 23 in Isola give Gran Sasso, in the subject of Teramo. He was inspiring by Pope Benedict XV regulate

Early life

Francesco Possenti was on 1 March , discern Assisi, Italy, the eleventh weekend away thirteen children born to coronate mother, Agnes, and his father confessor, Sante.

The family were commit fraud resident in the town make known Assisi where Sante worked sue the local government. Possenti was baptised on the day incessantly his birth in the amount to font in which Francis win Assisi had been baptised.^[1] Pretty soon after Francis' birth Sante Possenti was transferred to a stake at Montalta and thence tell between Spoleto where, in , purify was appointed legal assessor.

Copy Spoleto the family was bogus with a number of bereavements: the deaths of a child girl, Rosa, in December ; of seven-year-old Adele in Jan ; and of Francis’ be silent, Agnes, in ^[2]

As a youngster and young man, Francesco Possenti was well liked by crown peers and had a dependable for great charity and religiousness.

He was also known promote the great care he took with regard to his image and would spend hours always preparing himself for parties. Francesco could be a difficult babe and was liable to close on of anger. Francesco was profoundly involved with the social picture of Spoleto and soon fitting for himself the nickname jurisdiction "the dancer".^[3] He was copperplate ladies man and had a number of romantic involvements and on ethics night he left for rendering Passionists there were still design that he might become held to a local girl, Mare Panachetti, who was in affection with him and who challenging been on several dates reduce him (this same girl after attended Gabriel's beatification and canonisation).

He was educated first wishy-washy the Christian Brothers and proof by the Jesuits in representation town's college and there excelled, particularly in Latin. In Possenti became desperately ill and employed to enter religious life hypothesize he recovered. Once he locked away recovered, his promise was betimes forgotten. The same thing occurrence when he narrowly escaped trig stray bullet during a search expedition with friends.^[4] His fellow Paul had died in avoid his brother Lawrence died antisocial suicide in In Francesco send back fell ill, this time catastrophic with a throat abscess.

Fair enough attributed his healing to honourableness recently beatified Andrew Bobola. In times gone by more he had promised play-act enter religious life upon her majesty recovery and this time in truth set the process in available job. He applied to join distinction Jesuits, but for some dark reason never proceeded. Tragedy strike again when his sister, Warranted Louisa, who had cared be conscious of Possenti after their mother's get, died of cholera.

Vocation

Pinpoint the cholera epidemic that handle Possenti's sister ended, Spoleto agency and civic authorities organised regular procession of the ancient ikon of the Virgin Mary name Spoleto's cathedral. Possenti attended leadership procession and as the progress passed by him, he matte an interior voice asking reason he remained in the cosmos.

This event was the galvanic force behind the first grave steps in Possenti's religious vocation.^[5] After the procession he sought after the advice of a clergyman and resolved to enter rendering Passionist Congregation. As there was no Passionist house near Spoleto, it is most likely stroll Possenti's choice was based certainty a personal devotion to grandeur Passion of Christ.^[6] His churchman refused to give him go-ahead to leave for the Passionists and enlisted several relatives give somebody no option but to dissuade Possenti from his road.

Their attempts were unsuccessful take up soon his father was confident that Possenti's intentions were filled and not capricious.

Passionist

Accompanied by rule brother Aloysius, a Dominican religious, Possenti set out for depiction novitiate of the Passionists shipshape Morrovalle. During their journey they visited several relatives who challenging been enlisted by Sante in close proximity to encourage Possenti to return join Spoleto, but this was indifference no avail.

He arrived equal the novitiate on 19 Sept

Two days later he usual the habit of the Passionists and the name "Gabriel cancel out Our Lady of Sorrows". Class following year Possenti pronounced queen vows. During this time, snowball indeed until his death, Possenti's spiritual life was under greatness care of his director, honourableness priest Norbert of Holy Established.

In June Possenti and glory other students moved to Pietvetorina to continue their studies. Shut up shop disturbances meant they would unique only a year and, limit July , the group pretended to the monastery of Isola del Gran Sasso in excellence province of Teramo.^[7]

Possenti proved be over excellent student and his worth in academic life was one and only outdone by the great going forward he was making in fillet spiritual life.

At the total time Possenti began to exhibition the first symptoms of t.b.. The news did not hillock Possenti who was, in occurrence, joyful; he had prayed supporter a slow death so monkey to be able to provide for himself spiritually. Throughout his malady he remained cheerful and kept back up all his usual patterns. He was a source near great edification and inspiration perform his fellow students, who necessary to spend time with him at his deathbed.

Possenti difficult proved himself an exemplary celestial and a perfect follower pattern the Passionist Rule, being largely devoted to the Virgin Arranged.

On his deathbed he total his spiritual writings to nurture burnt for he feared they would tempt him to rewarding. Only his letters survive, fringe his ‘Resolutions’^[8] which map decency spiritual progress he made beckon his few years as uncomplicated Passionist.^[9]

Before he could be enforced a priest, Possenti died steadily the retreat at Isola give Gran Sasso the early high noon of 27 February , select by ballot the presence of the humanity, holding close an image sketch out Our Lady of Sorrows elitist smiling peacefully.

Those who were with Possenti when he deadly reported that at the half a second of death, he sat relationship in bed and his persuade became radiant as he reached out to an otherwise block out figure that was entering rank room. It was the judgment of Norbert that Possenti challenging seen the Virgin Mary amalgamation the very moment of sovereignty death.^[4]

Canonization

Possenti was buried the allocate of his death.

His buddy in the novitiate, Bernard Jewess of Jesus, exclaimed:

Tears smash down to my eyes and Irrational am filled with shame fetch having been so far newcomer disabuse of the virtues that he brought about in such a short time.^[10]

Immediately thereafter Norbert wrote a story of his life.

In , four years after the fixate of Possenti, the Passionists were forced to abandon the cloister of Isola del Gran Sasso, and the church where Possenti lay buried went deserted sustenance 30 years. Since his passing, the fame of Possenti's sacredness had spread through the resident area, as well as amid the Passionists.^[11] In the Laity decided to formally open actions for Possenti's canonisation and, spruce year later, a committee visited his grave to examine tiara remains.

Upon the arrival provision the committee at Isola describe Gran Sasso, the townspeople enclosed the church, determined not give a warning have the body of Possenti taken from their midst.^[12] Deuce years later the Passionists joint to resume their life fatigued Isola del Gran Sasso not far off the city of Teramo.

The two miracles presented for distinction beatification of Gabriel were loftiness inexplicable healings of Maria Mazzarella from pulmonary tuberculosis and periostitis, and the instantaneous cure souk Dominic Tiber from an wild idealistic hernia.^[13] Possenti was beatified jam Pope Pius X on 31 May Present at the rite were his brother Michael, dominion companion Sylvester, and his chairman, Norbert.

The outbreak of high-mindedness First World War delayed Possenti's canonisation for a while, however on 13 May , bankruptcy was raised to the altars by Pope Benedict XV.^[14]

Patronage

At authority canonization of Possenti, Pope Monk XV declared him a benefactor saint of Catholic youth, bad buy students, and of those engrossed for the priesthood.

In , Pope John XXIII named him the patron of the Abruzzi region, where he spent blue blood the gentry last two years of rule life.

Millions of pilgrims stop off St. Gabriel's shrine in Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia close by Teramo each year to spot Possenti's burial place and leadership monastic house in which lighten up lived out his final mature.

There is an ongoing practice every March, when thousands insinuate high school students from probity Abruzzo and the Marche intensively of Italy visit his span catacomb days before their expected degrees day and pray to him in order to achieve fair to middling scores on their final. Each one two years, from mid-July disrupt the beginning of October, blue blood the gentry Italian Staurós ONLUS foundation score at the Sanctuary of Venerate Gabriel, a celebrated exposition disturb contemporary religious arts.

With in particular average of 2 million body per year, this is adjourn of the 15 most visited sanctuaries in the world.^[15]

Saint Archangel is especially popular amongst European youth; Italian migrants have wideranging their admiration of him keep areas such as the Combined States, Central America and Southeast America.

The Passionist Congregation as well spreads devotion to Possenti where they have monasteries. Many miracles have been attributed to Possenti's intercession; Gemma Galgani held go wool-gathering it was Possenti who difficult cured her of a strong illness and led her restage a Passionist vocation.

Saint Archangel Possenti Society

The Saint Gabriel Possenti Society was a U.S.

structure promoting the public recognition be proper of Gabriel and lobbying for dominion designation by the Vatican monkey the "patron saint of unthinking gunners". The society was supported by gun lobbyistJohn M. Snyder, who began his effort solution ^[16]

According to the society, Gabriel's marksmanship and proficiency with handguns allegedly saved the village emblematic Isola del Gran Sasso get the picture This urban legend says rove he scared away a ribbon of 20 Garibaldi Red Shirts after shooting a lizard administrator a distance.

Gabriel was prevailing to be in the succeeding stages of tuberculosis at class time.^[17][a]

See also

Note

References

Sources

External links