AmericanPapist Comments
When was Pope John Paul II assassinated? Fr. McNamara would be more convincing if his bias were not so evident.
The group has been around for awhile. Wait till PETA hears to story about the lizard.
How badass. Why ruin it with "facts"?
Apocryphal hagiography is not a sufficient reason to not invoke a particular patron saint.
I have been a supporter and member of the society for six years. I found out about them by reading a short piece in the National Catholic Register. Even if the story isn't true, the society's message-that pacifism is not a virtue and that the Church teaches the right and (in some cases) duty of self-defense-is true and should be publicized.
St. Gabe, slayer of lizards and terror of bandits, pray for us.
WAC
Wow. Denouncing Pacifism Wil? While no one says self-defense is always unwarranted, Jesus didn't seem to make that distinction. Interesting that you're taking an apocryphal story over the Gospel values of Jesus (who not only said 'turn the other cheek' but also did not fight against his crucifixion), the servant of God Dorothy Day, Pax Christi, Catholic Peace Fellowship, as well as noting that Cardinal Ratzinger gave homage to Pope Benedict XV ('the prophet of peace')
Given Possenti's otherwise very "poor dying young man" biography, I seriously doubt that anybody would make up this story out of whole cloth. It'd be like deciding to make up the story that St. Rose of Lima had a double life as Zorra, hardriding avenger of the poor!
And women in Lima wore really heavy veiling, so there's a lot more possibility of that one being true. :)
And it doesn't take a lot of physical effort to squeeze a pistol trigger. Well within the ability of a tubercular guy.
Jesus was no pacifist and he did not command his followers to be unarmed and defenseless, allowing any and all evil doers to walk over us or those whom we must defend. Turning the other cheek is one thing. Letting unjust aggressors prey on the weak and defenseless because we too are weak and defenseless when we could be strong and have a proportional defense would be a sin of omission.
Besides, the mere possession of a fire arm does not make one a frothing at the mouth mass murderer. And we have absolutely clear evidence that brandishing firearms has saved thousands of lives per year - lives saved and potential crimes averted because people were armed.
I find it very interesting that this "tale" is not contained in any biography of St. Gabriel, nor is it mentioned in any way in writing or otherwise by any members of the Congregation of the Passion (I am in a group associated with the Congregatioon, nor is it told, posted, mentioned,etc. at the Shrine of St. Gabriel in Isola (yes, I've been there).
It's funny that people, even saint-loving Catholics, are so eager to discredit this legend. Saint George slaying the dragon is a legend, would you have it abolished from stories and imagery of him? Legends often contain more truth than facts.
Maureen has a really good point.
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