Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

I finally got the prayer card for our Diocese's 2023-2024 Seminarians. One of the patron saints of Seminarians is St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. (Yes, he's another Italian Saint, but that's just the percentages, you know?)

St. Gabriel was born Francesco Possenti in Assisi in 1838. He was the eleventh of thirteen children. Interesting note: he was baptized in the same font where St. Francis of Assisi had been baptized. Several of his siblings died young and his mother also died when he was just 4 years old. Butler's Lives of the Saints says, "After a surfeit of the dubious marvels which meet us in the legendary story of so many aspirants for canonization, it is a distinct relief to find that the childhood of Francis Possenti . . . was perfectly normal."

Twice in his youth, young Francis became seriously ill and promised God that he would join religious life if he recovered. Each time, the promise was soon forgotten once he regained his health. Tragedy struck again when his favorite sister died in a cholera epidemic. After the epidemic ended, Francis attended a procession of an icon of the Virgin Mary. As the image passed him, he heard an interior voice ask him why he remained in the world. Afterwards, he sought the advice of a priest and resolved to enter the Passionist order. Against his father's wishes he entered the novitiate at the age of 18. He entered the congregation on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows and was given the name in religion of Brother Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. 

Brother Gabriel excelled in his studies and in his Spiritual Life. When he showed the first signs of tuberculosis, he prayed for a slow death so that he could prepare himself spiritually. Throughout his illness he remained cheerful and was a great inspiration to his fellow students. They sought to spend time with him on his deathbed. He proved himself to be an exemplary religious and was especially devoted to the Virgin Mary. 

Before he could be ordained, after only 4 years in religious life, Brother Gabriel died at the age of 24. He is patron of students, youths, clerics and seminarians. His feast day is February 27.

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.