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Catholic News

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- From lost causes to the unattractive, patron saints are associated with virtually every occupation, ailment and activity. St. Gabriel Francis Possenti, a 19th-century Passionist monk and patron saint of Italy's Abruzzi region, clerics and youths, is gaining a line of followers who feel he should be recognized by the Vatican as the patron saint of "handgunners." The St. Gabriel Possenti Society of Arlington, Va., is an interdenominational society dedicated to promoting the public recognition of the saint and advocating his Vatican designation as patron of "handgunners." It emphasizes historical, philosophical and theological bases for the right to self-defense. Advocates of the designation base their argument on an often-told story -- not historically documented but believed by many -- of St. Possenti using a handgun to rescue a woman from marauders attacking his village in Italy but without killing any of the attackers. John Snyder, founder of the society and author of "Gun Saint," has advocated for the official patron saint designation of St. Possenti for more than two decades.

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St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Patron Saint of Students, Young People and Clerics

The saint of the young, The saint of miracles, The saint of the smile

Hello and welcome to this website which is dedicated to spreading devotion to Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. Gabriel is little known in the English speaking world, though his memory is preserved amongst Italian immigrant communities. Saint Gabriel was declared a Saint by His Holiness Benedict XV in 1920. He is patron of young people, students, seminarians, clerics, Italian youth and of the region of Abruzzo in Italy. His feastday is celebrated on February 27th.

Saint Gabriel was known in the world as Francis Possenti, son of a professional and respected family. He grew up in a household where devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows was a hallmark of family life. Francis grew up, living the life of a typical teenager, he danced, he hunted, he went out with girls, but he still felt something was lacking. He turned to Jesus and His Sorrowful Mother and felt an inner calling from Our Lady to become a Passionist. This he did after many trials. As a Passionist he grew daily in love with Our Lord and Mary, the Virgin of Sorrows and soon came to the perfection of Christian virtue. He died from tuberculosis at the young age of 24.

Saint Gabriel is remarkable because he went so quickly and perfectly from a life of excess, devoted to the pleasures of this world, to becoming inextricably linked to the Passion of Our Lord. He shows us that we can all fall in love with Our Lord.

Thus this site seeks to spread devotion and knowledge of him so that all may learn from him and be guided to Jesus through him. So please spread the word about this site and help to make Gabriel known to those who can benefit from his wonderful example.

Saint Gabriel! Pray for us!

Saint Gabriel Francis Possenti of Our Lady of Sorrows C.P.

Born: 1st March 1838

Religious Profession: 22nd September 1857

Died: 27th February 1862

Venerable: 14th May 1905

Beatified: 31st May 1908

Canonised: 13th May 1920