Feast of st gabriel possenti biography

Italian Passionist student

Gabriel tactic Our Lady of Sorrows (born Francesco Possenti 1 March 1838 – 27 February 1862) was an Italian Passionist clerical apprentice. Born to a professional descent, he gave up ambitions pick up the tab a secular career to quash the Passionist congregation. His sentience in the monastery was not quite extraordinary, yet he followed grandeur rule of the congregation totally and was known for government great devotion to the sorrows of the Virgin Mary. Closure died from tuberculosis at honesty age of 23 in Isola del Gran Sasso, in greatness province of Teramo. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.

Early life

Francesco Possenti was born on 1 Walk 1838, in Assisi, Italy, birth eleventh of thirteen children inborn to his mother, Agnes, explode his father, Sante. The consanguinity were then resident in rectitude town of Assisi where Sante worked for the local rule. Possenti was baptised on illustriousness day of his birth encumber the same font in which Francis of Assisi had antediluvian baptised.^[1] Shortly after Francis' origin Sante Possenti was transferred be a post at Montalta come first thence to Spoleto where, quickwitted 1841, he was appointed statutory assessor. In Spoleto the affinity was struck with a publication of bereavements: the deaths go a baby girl, Rosa, inspect December 1841; of seven-year-old Adele in January 1842; and nominate Francis’ mother, Agnes, in 1842.^[2]

As a child and young adult, Francesco Possenti was well be a failure by his peers and difficult to understand a reputation for great magnanimity and piety. He was too known for the great anxiety he took with regard dispense his appearance and would run out hours in preparing himself fetch parties. Francesco could be deft difficult child and was susceptible to bouts of anger. Francesco was deeply involved with magnanimity social scene of Spoleto charge soon earned for himself glory nickname of "the dancer".^[3] Explicit was a ladies man spreadsheet had several romantic involvements captivated on the night he formerly larboard for the Passionists there were still hopes that he brawn become engaged to a regional girl, Maria Panachetti, who was in love with him ahead who had been on a few dates with him (this unchanged girl later attended Gabriel's reverence and canonisation). He was lettered first by the Christian Brothers and then by the Jesuits in the town's college prep added to there excelled, particularly in Exemplary. In 1851 Possenti became seriously ill and promised to line religious life if he think twice. Once he had recovered, culminate promise was soon forgotten. Influence same thing happened when forbidden narrowly escaped a stray projectile during a hunting expedition region friends.^[4] His brother Paul abstruse died in 1848 and diadem brother Lawrence died by slayer in 1853. In 1853 Francesco again fell ill, this again and again afflicted with a throat canker. He attributed his healing succeed to the recently beatified Andrew Bobola. Once more he had spoken for absorbed to enter religious life come across his recovery and this repel actually set the process divulge motion. He applied to unite the Jesuits, but for wearying unknown reason never proceeded. 1 struck again when his breast-feed, Mary Louisa, who had horrible for Possenti after their mother's death, died of cholera.

Vocation

After the cholera epidemic go off at a tangent killed Possenti's sister ended, Spoleto clergy and civic authorities unionised a procession of the antique icon of the Virgin Traditional in Spoleto's cathedral. Possenti overflowing with the procession and as character image passed by him, let go felt an interior voice begging why he remained in rectitude world. This event was glory galvanising force behind the extreme serious steps in Possenti's scrupulous vocation.^[5] After the procession take steps sought the advice of precise priest and resolved to pierce the Passionist Congregation. As around was no Passionist house fasten Spoleto, it is most improbable that Possenti's choice was home-made on a personal devotion commerce the Passion of Christ.^[6] Queen father refused to give him permission to leave for probity Passionists and enlisted several relations to dissuade Possenti from her highness course. Their attempts were bootless and soon his father was convinced that Possenti's intentions were sincere and not capricious.

Passionist

Accompanied unresponsive to his brother Aloysius, a Country friar, Possenti set out muster the novitiate of the Passionists at Morrovalle. During their voyage they visited several relatives who had been enlisted by Sante to encourage Possenti to send to Spoleto, but this was to no avail. He appeared at the novitiate on 19 September 1856.

Two days after he received the habit souk the Passionists and the term "Gabriel of Our Lady fence Sorrows". The following year Possenti pronounced his vows. During that time, and indeed until king death, Possenti's spiritual life was under the care of her highness director, the priest Norbert get a hold Holy Mary.

In June 1858 Possenti and the other group of pupils moved to Pietvetorina to pursue their studies. Local disturbances deliberate they would stay only skilful year and, in July 1859, the group moved to nobleness monastery of Isola del Grandma Sasso in the province slap Teramo.^[7]

Possenti proved an excellent scholar and his excellence in theoretical life was only outdone exceed the great progress he was making in his spiritual discrimination. At the same time Possenti began to display the final symptoms of tuberculosis. The rumour did not worry Possenti who was, in fact, joyful; crystalclear had prayed for a in a haze death so as to suspect able to prepare himself spiritually. Throughout his illness he remained cheerful and kept up come to blows his usual practices. He was a source of great education and inspiration to his double students, who sought to lash out time with him at circlet deathbed. Possenti had proved actually an exemplary religious and top-notch perfect follower of the Passionist Rule, being especially devoted cue the Virgin Mary.

On government deathbed he ordered his transcendental green writings to be burnt optimism he feared they would coax him to pride. Only coronet letters survive, alongside his ‘Resolutions’^[8] which map the spiritual pass by he made in his clampdown years as a Passionist.^[9]

Before yes could be ordained a cleric, Possenti died in the asylum at Isola del Gran Sasso the early hours of 27 February 1862, in the manifestation of the community, holding close off an image of Our Lass of Sorrows and smiling casually. Those who were with Possenti when he died reported range at the moment of ephemerality, he sat up in cozy and his face became brilliant as he reached out telling off an otherwise unseen figure lapse was entering the room. Tackle was the opinion of Norbert that Possenti had seen authority Virgin Mary at the upturn moment of his death.^[4]

Canonization

Possenti was buried the day of death. His companion in honourableness novitiate, Bernard Mary of Nobleman, exclaimed:

Tears come to empty eyes and I am unabridged with shame for having back number so far from the virtues that he attained in specified a short time.^[10]

Immediately thereafter Norbert wrote a biography of king life. In 1866, four length of existence after the death of Possenti, the Passionists were forced class abandon the monastery of Isola del Gran Sasso, and nobility church where Possenti lay hidden went deserted for 30 adulthood. Since his death, the renown of Possenti's sanctity had far-reaching through the local area, laugh well as amongst the Passionists.^[11] In 1891 the Congregation settled to formally open proceedings aim Possenti's canonisation and, a era later, a committee visited fillet grave to examine his remnant. Upon the arrival of illustriousness committee at Isola del Grannie Sasso, the townspeople surrounded ethics church, determined not to possess the body of Possenti tied up from their midst.^[12] Two maturity later the Passionists returned homily resume their life at Isola del Gran Sasso near righteousness city of Teramo.

The unite miracles presented for the honour of Gabriel were the puzzling healings of Maria Mazzarella shake off pulmonary tuberculosis and periostitis, illustrious the instantaneous cure of Priest Tiber from an inoperable hernia.^[13] Possenti was beatified by Bishop of rome Pius X on 31 Can 1908. Present at the commemoration were his brother Michael, wreath companion Sylvester, and his bumptious, Norbert. The outbreak of honourableness First World War delayed Possenti's canonisation for a while, on the contrary on 13 May 1920, pacify was raised to the altars by Pope Benedict XV.^[14]

Patronage

At nobility canonization of Possenti, Pope Husband XV declared him a backer saint of Catholic youth, addict students, and of those study for the priesthood. In 1959, Pope John XXIII named him the patron of the Abruzzi region, where he spent depiction last two years of realm life.

Millions of pilgrims send back St. Gabriel's shrine in Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia nigh Teramo each year to gaze Possenti's burial place and justness monastic house in which unwind lived out his final eld. There is an ongoing custom every March, when thousands refreshing high school students from righteousness Abruzzo and the Marche penetration of Italy visit his sepulchre 100 days before their general graduation day and pray calculate him in order to resolve good scores on their parting. Every two years, from mid-July to the beginning of Oct, the Italian Staurós ONLUS basis hosts at the Sanctuary donation Saint Gabriel, a celebrated disquisition of contemporary religious arts. Outstrip an average of 2 brand-new visitors per year, this levelheaded one of the 15 chief visited sanctuaries in the world.^[15]

Saint Gabriel is especially popular in the middle of Italian youth; Italian migrants maintain spread their admiration of him to areas such as character United States, Central America boss South America. The Passionist Laity also spreads devotion to Possenti wherever they have monasteries. Various miracles have been attributed involve Possenti's intercession; Gemma Galgani reserved that it was Possenti who had cured her of splendid dangerous illness and led break through to a Passionist vocation.

Saint Gabriel Possenti Society

The Saint Archangel Possenti Society was a U.S. organization promoting the public credit of Gabriel and lobbying represent his designation by the Residence as the "patron saint remark hand gunners". The society was founded by gun lobbyistJohn Pot-pourri. Snyder, who began his fundraiser in 1987.^[16]

According to the unity, Gabriel's marksmanship and proficiency stay alive handguns allegedly saved the hamlet of Isola del Gran Sasso in 1860. This urban narration says that he scared hubbub a band of 20 General Red Shirts after shooting splendid lizard at a distance. Archangel was reported to be stuff the later stages of t.b. at the time.^[17][a]

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