Two new blesseds: A Lebanese monk and a French Franciscan

By Tiziana Campisi

Lebanese priest Béchara Abou-Mourad, a member of the Basilian Order of the Most Holy Savior of the Melkites, will soon be declared Blessed following recognition of the miraculous healing, attributed to his intercession, of a woman confined to a wheelchair.

Pope Leo XIV authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree on Saturday morning, during an audience with Cardinal Prefect Marcello Semeraro.

At the same audience, the Pope approved the decree for the equipollent beatification of Gabriele Maria, a French priest of the Order of Friars Minor and co-founder of the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, confirming the long-standing spontaneous devotion to him.

Three additional decrees recognize the heroic virtues of Francesco Lombardi, a priest from Liguria; Fausto Gei, a layman from Brescia and member of the Silent Workers of the Cross; and Theophane, an Indian Capuchin friar.

A New Lebanese blessed

Born Selim Béchara Abou-Mourad in Zahle, Lebanon, on May 19, 1853, the future Blessed discerned a vocation to the priesthood and religious life at an early age. He entered the monastery of the Basilian Fathers of the Most Holy Savior in Sidon and was ordained a priest on December 26, 1883.

He first served as “Master of Discipline” at the Basilian minor seminary, before being sent to Deir el Qamar for pastoral ministry. With no church building available, he celebrated Mass in private homes. With the support of the local bishop, the faithful, and benefactors, he eventually oversaw the construction of a church. He also founded a private charitable society and became known for his exceptional charity, apostolic zeal, and deep spirituality.

He spent his final years at the Convent of Saint Savior, where he died on February 22, 1930.

The miracle attributed to his intercession concerns the healing of a woman who had been wheelchair-bound due to a severe degenerative knee disease diagnosed in 1983. In 2009, after reading a brief biography of Father Béchara and recalling accounts of healings attributed to him during his lifetime, she prayed for his help during an especially painful night. The next day, she was able to walk without assistance and without pain, resuming what was described as a “perfectly healthy” life.

An observant Franciscan from France

Gabriele Maria, born Gilberto Nicolas around 1460 near the French town of Riom, is now numbered among the Blesseds too, with a decree confirming his immemorial cult (equipollent beatification).

Raised in a devout Christian family, he developed a deep Marian devotion. A sermon on the Immaculate Conception inspired him to embrace consecrated life. He entered the Observant Franciscans at the convent of Notre-Dame de Lafond and, after his ordination, taught moral theology to young friars for nearly two decades.

A decisive moment in his life came when he met with Joan of Valois, the repudiated wife of King Louis XII of France. Becoming her confessor and spiritual father, he helped her found the Order of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1501. For some thirty years, he served as superior general as the new religious family expanded into Belgium, the Netherlands, England, and Spain.

Within the Franciscan Order, he held numerous leadership roles, promoting reform and serving as provincial vicar and later as general commissary. During this period, Pope Leo X gave him the name Gabriele Maria.

A learned and versatile man, deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary, he played a key role in shaping Franciscan spirituality. Known as a persuasive preacher and a man of great charity, he lived in poverty and placed complete trust in God’s will. A spontaneous devotion arose immediately after his death in 1532 in Rodez, and miracles were attributed to his intercession.

The parish priest of Bussana

Born on February 24, 1851, in Terzorio, Italy, Francesco Lombardi showed an early vocation to the priesthood. After spending some time at the Monastery of Santa Scolastica in Subiaco, cut short by poor health, he completed his studies and was ordained in 1874.

Appointed parish administrator and then pastor of Bussana in Liguria, he served there for 47 years. Fr. Lombardi distinguished himself through deep prayer, preaching, catechesis for children and adults, and care for sacred spaces. He strongly promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

When a devastating earthquake struck on February 23, 1887, killing 54 people and destroying the church during Ash Wednesday Mass, Lombardi became a pillar of support for the community. He oversaw the construction of a new sanctuary dedicated to the Sacred Heart, which became a pilgrimage site and spiritual center. He also founded numerous social works, including a kindergarten, a workshop for young women, a home for the elderly, and an orphanage.

Inspired by Pope Leo XIII’s social encyclical Rerum Novarum, he promoted a workers’ mutual aid society and a rural credit bank. In 1902, he established a printing press to publish a periodical dedicated to the Sacred Heart. He died in Bussana on February 13, 1922.

A man of intense prayer, he spent long hours in Eucharistic adoration and frequently recited the Rosary, even while walking the streets, encouraging the faithful to cultivate a life of prayer. Among his pastoral initiatives were the Apostleship of Prayer, Eucharistic Tuesdays, and spiritual retreats.

The Capuchin friar from India

Among the new Venerables is Theophane, born Michael, on July 20, 1913, in Kottapuram, in the Indian state of Kerala. Raised in a devout Christian family, he entered the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Verapoly in 1929. Drawn to the Franciscan charism of Francis of Assisi, he joined the Capuchins in Farangipet and took the name Theophane in 1933.

Ordained in 1941, he served as director of postulants, chaplain, and retreat preacher. Appointed guardian of the Sacred Heart convent in Kunnam in 1947, he later served as pastor in Tiruchirapally and Kotagiri, where he also taught Sacred Scripture and homiletics.

Active in pastoral and social outreach, he founded a convent dedicated to Saint Bonaventure in Ponnurummi, along with a church and a seminary for Capuchin vocations. He died on April 4, 1968, in Ernakulam.

Widely regarded as one of the most esteemed Capuchin preachers of his time, Theophane was known for his humility and closeness to the poor. Some compared him to Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, especially for the way he welcomed and prayed for those who sought his counsel. His reputation for holiness, already widespread during his lifetime, grew further after his death.

The layman from Brescia

Fausto Gei, also declared Venerable today, was born in Brescia on March 24, 1927. Raised in a Catholic family, he attended the Oratory of Peace, where Father Carlo Manziana—later Archbishop of Crema—became his spiritual director.

In March 1945, accused of anti-fascist activity, he was briefly imprisoned along with a priest and other young men. After the war, he enrolled in medical school at the University of Pavia, but was soon diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As the disease progressed, he lost the use of his legs, then his hands, and eventually his speech.

After an initial period of deep inner turmoil, he embraced his condition as a form of apostolate. He met Luigi Novarese and joined the Volunteers of Suffering movement, later becoming diocesan leader in Brescia.

Through what he called the “apostolate of the pen,” he maintained extensive correspondence with the sick, encouraging them to take an active role in the Church’s life. He advocated for greater spiritual assistance for the infirm and raised awareness among civil and religious authorities about the needs of the sick and their families.

He died on March 28, 1968, from complications related to pulmonary edema. Deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary, he recited the Rosary daily, calling it an “indispensable weapon for overcoming suffering” and carrying the cross with faith.