Saint Toribio Romo González

Life story

He was born on 16 April 1900 in Santa Ana de Guadalupe, near Jalostotitlán, Jalisco, Mexico. In 1912, aged 13, he entered the Auxiliary Seminary of San Juan de los Lagos, and in 1920 he moved to the Major Diocesan Seminary of Guadalajara. He was made a deacon on 22 September 1922 and ordained a priest on 23 December that year, aged 22, after a dispensation for his youth. His first public Mass was on 5 January 1923.

He served in the parishes of Sayula, Tuxpan, Yahualica and Cuquío, all in Jalisco. From November 1926, after a revolt in Cuquío against the anti-clerical policies of President Plutarco Elías Calles, he lived on the move, going from place to place to continue his ministry. His last refuge was Agua Caliente, near Tequila, Jalisco.

On 25 February 1928 government troops broke into his bedroom at Agua Caliente and a soldier shot him; he was 27. He is reported to have said to them, “Here I am, but do not kill me.” Pope John Paul II beatified him on 22 November 1992 and canonised him on 21 May 2000, both in St Peter's Square. Stories of him appearing to help migrants in distress at the border began to circulate from the late 1970s; these belong to popular devotion and are not confirmed by the Church.

Works and witness

• Ordained a priest on 23 December 1922, aged 22
• Served the parishes of Sayula, Tuxpan, Yahualica and Cuquío
• Lived as a fugitive priest from November 1926, continuing his ministry
• Shot at Agua Caliente on 25 February 1928
• Canonised on 21 May 2000

Patron of

Migrants (by popular devotion)

Saints from the same country

Saint Juan Diego, Blessed Miguel Pro, Saint José Sánchez del Río, The 25 Martyrs of Mexico

References

• MexConnect, "Toribio Romo: the patron saint of migrants"
• Catholic News World, "Saint Toribio Romo González a Martyr Priest" (25 February)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.