Galván Bermúdez, David, St.
GALVÁN BERMÚDEZ, DAVID, ST.
Martyr, priest; b. Jan. 29, 1881, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; d. there, Jan. 30, 1915. Entered Guadalajara's seminary at age 14, but he became disillusioned. A year later he returned a new man. Even before his ordination (1909) he taught at Guadalajara's seminary and continued thereafter. He was arrested, but later released, during the Carrancista revolution for being a priest. Because of his great love for the poor and for workers, he organized a workers union. Defender of the sanctity of marriage, he helped a young woman pursued by a married soldier by pretending to be her spouse. This act earned him the enmity of his executioner. He and Araiza were arrested as they ministered to wounded soldiers (Jan. 30, 1915) following a confrontation between Pancho Villa's supporters and the Carrancistas. Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Vera ordered them shot. Fr. Galván was both beatified (Nov. 22, 1992) and canonized (May 21, 2000) with Cristobal magallanes [see guadalajara (mexico), martyrs of, ss.] by Pope John Paul II.
Feast: May 25 (Mexico).
Bibliography: j. cardoso, Los mártires mexicanos (Mexico City 1953). r. haro llamas, El padre Galván: una vida sacerdotal en el marco histórico de su tiempo (Guadalajara, Jalisco 1977).
[k. i. rabenstein]