Saint David Galván Bermúdez

Memorial

• 25 May

Profile

Entered the seminary in Guadalajara, Mexico at age 14. An excellent student. Questioning his vocation, David left the seminary for three years. He worked, dated, wasted his time, and lived a dissolute lifestyle; at one point he was arrested for hitting his girlfriend while he was drunk. However, he finally realized he could not ignore the call to his vocation. After a year’s probation, he was allowed to return to the seminary. Ordained on 20 May 1909. Seminary instructor at Amatitán. Supervisor at the Amatitán seminary.

Arrested at least one for the crime of priesthood. During periods of armed rebellion, he went into the field of fire to work with the injured, patching wounds and hearing confessions. On his way to Guadalajara to help victims of armed street fighting, he was arrested with Father Jose Araíza, who was later ransomed out of prison. Murdered for being a priest, and on the chance that he might be helping the rebels. Comforted fellow prisoners and heard confessions in the hours before execution. Martyr.

Born

• 29 January 1881 at Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Died

• shot by firing squad on 30 January 1915 at Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Venerated

• 7 March 1992 by Pope John Paul II (decree of martyrdom)

Beatified

• 22 November 1992 by Pope John Paul II

Canonized

• 21 May 2000 by Pope John Paul II during the Jubilee of Mexico

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Hagiography Circle
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

Readings

What greater glory is there than to die saving a soul? - Saint David, on his way to minister to the wounded in a fire fight

MLA Citation

• “Saint David Galván Bermúdez”. Saints.SQPN.com. 24 October 2012. Web. 23 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-david-galvan-bermudez/>