Page 92 - Saints of the Month: February

Saints of the Month: February

Little was known of Gabriel’s extraordinary
spiritual gifts during his life. He was not
singular, he conformed himself to the
community life; he was only a fervent and
exemplary Passionist novice and student
hidden from the world in the cloister. After
death, this young religious in a few years
was declared venerable by the Church,
thereby testifying that he had practised all
the virtues in a heroic degree; and he was
beatified and raised to the honours of the
altar, by special privilege of the supreme
pontiff before he was fifty years dead.

His solemn beatification took place on 31
May, 1908, in the Vatican basilica, in the
presence of the cardinals then in Rome, of
the Passionist fathers resident in Rome and
of representatives from all the provinces of
the congregation. Among those present
were many who had known the beatified
during his life, including one of his brothers,
Father Norbert, C.P., his old spiritual
director and confessor and Signor Dominico
Tiberi, who had been miraculously cured
through his intercession.

The Mass and Office in honour of Blessed
Gabriel are allowed to the whole Passionist
congregation, and his feast day is
celebrated on 31 May. It is the express wish
of Leo XIII and Pius X that he should be
regarded as the chief patron of the youth of
today, and especially as the patron of young

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