The Augustinian Recollect Bishop Alfonso Gallegos died on October 6, 1991. On the occasion of his 25th death anniversary, the General Chapter rendered homage to Monsignor Alfonso Gallegos, who, after his heroic virtues were recognized, was declared Venerable on July 8, 2016 by Pope Francis. He was acknowledged as Servant of God on June 5, 2006.
Fr. Samson Silloríquez Subaldo, OAR, postulator of the Cause of Monsignor Alfonso presented to the Chapter delegates the Decree of Heroic Virtues officially declaring the Bishop as Venerable. Fr. Samson read the Decree within the Holy Eucharist, after which, the document was handed over to the Prior General, Fr. Miguel Miró.
In the homily Fr. Eliseo González López, OAR, the vice-Postulator of the Cause of Monsignor Alfonso Gallegos, underscored the exemplary traits of the Augustinian Recollect bishop that led Pope Francis to declare him, Venerable.
Fr. John Michael Rafferty, OAR, the prior provincial of the Province of San Agustín, presided in the Mass celebrated last October 6, the death anniversary Mons. Alfonso Gallegos.
Monsignor Alfonso Gallegos
Monsignor Alfonso Gallegos was born in Albuquerque (New México, USA) in 1931 to a numerous but profoundly religious family. Early in his childhood he was diagnosed to have an advanced myopia, continually putting him at risk of totally losing his vision. He became Religious in 1951 and was made priest in 1958. He exercised diverse ministries in the United States: hospital chaplain, master of novices and parish priest in the church of San Miguel de Watts, in Los Ángeles (California). He was consecrated bishop of Sacramento in 1981 and died in a car accident in 1991.