27th February, St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Confessor

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Confessor.

St. Gabriel of the Seven Sorrows, born in 1838 at Assisi, the little Italian town made famous by St. Francis, was miraculously guided by our Blessed Lady into the Passionist Congregation, and during his short life upon earth he became a veritable apostle of her Sorrows. His spirit of penance and self-denial, his heroic humility, and his true devotion to our Lord's Sacred Passion quickly raised him to a high degree of sanctity. In 1862, only in the twenty-fourth year of his age, his heavenly patroness came to call him to eternal happiness. The many miracles that bore witness to his holiness, led to his speedy canonization by Pope Benedict XV (1920) and Pope Pius XI extended his feast to the whole Church (1932).

Oculus Dei respexit illum in bono, et erexit eum ab humilitate ipsius et exaltavit caput ejus; et mirati sunt in illo multi, et honoraverunt Deum. * Quam bonus Israel Deus his, qui recto sunt corde.
The eye of God hath looked  upon him for good, and hath lifted him up from his low estate, and hath exalted his head; and many have wondered at him, and have glorified God. * How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!
(Ecclesiasticus 11:13 and Psalm 72:1 from the Introit of Mass)

Deus, qui beatum Gabrielem dulcissimae Matris tuae dolores assidue recolere docuisti, ac per illam sanctitatis et miraculorum gloria sublimasti: da nobis, ejus intercessione et exemplo; ita Genitricis tuae consociari fletibus, ut materna ejusdem protectione salvemur.
O God, who didst teach blessed Gabriel diligently to ponder the sorrows of Thy most sweet Mother, and who hast exalted him to the glory of sanctity and the working of miracles; grant us, through his intercession and example, so to mourn with Thy Mother, that we may be saved through her maternal care.
(Collect)

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_of_Our_Lady_of_Sorrows