Biography

Alphonse Gallegos was born on February 20, 1931, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One of 11 children, he struggled with vision problems as a child but, after many surgeries, his myopic condition partially healed. While serving as an altar server at his parish, he came to know the Augustine Recollects. He joined as a novitiate and relocated to Kansas City, Kansas when he was 19.
 
While in formation, he continued to struggle with eye issues which caused him to become nearly blind. His condition delayed his ordination as his superiors worried that his disability might impair his ability to serve. Gallegos’ worked hard to prove to them that he was able and succeeded in being ordained to the priesthood as a member of the Augustinian Recollects in 1958. Following his ordination, he served as a hospital chaplain and at various parishes until he eventually moved to Sacramento, California and was appointed the Director of the Division of Hispanic Affairs of the California Catholic Conference.
 
Two years after this appointment, in 1981, Father Gallegos was ordained auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Sacramento. In 1983, he was also appointed as pastor of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. While serving in his community, he befriended countless neighbors and community leaders as well as those who were underprivileged and in need. He championed minority groups in his community and also belonged to his local chapter of the Knights of Columbus. In the evenings he would minister to gang members and those at risk in the impoverished neighborhoods of Los Angeles and Sacramento wearing a 99-cent sombrero and a t-shirt to fit in. He became well loved by the region and was affectionately called the Bishop of the Barrios which can be translated to the Bishop of the Neighborhoods and was welcomed as a chaplain-of-sorts for migrant workers and the city’s lowrider car community.
 
On October 6, 1991, at age 60, while pushing his stalled car to the side of the road with his volunteer driver steering, Bishop Gallegos was struck by another vehicle and thrown 50 feet, dying instantly. His funeral procession included some 300 lowrider cars and hundreds of his friends and neighbors. The city of Sacramento named a section of Eleventh St. the Gallegos Square in his memory. In 2016, Pope Francis recognized Bishop Gallegos’ heroic virtues and named him Venerable. Of his own legacy Bishop Gallegos said, “I would like to be remembered as having helped the young people to appreciate who they are and to value the life God has given them. I would also like to be remembered as having appreciated people and all that they have to offer in making the world a better place to live in.”

Prayer

God our Father, In Bishop Alphonse Gallegos, O.A.R., You gave light to Your faithful people. You made him a pastor of the Church to feed Your sheep with his words and to teach them by example. We pray that his life of holiness and service to the People of God be acknowledged and that this loyal son of Our Lady of Guadalupe be counted among the saints of Your Kingdom.
We ask this blessing through Christ our Lord.
Amen.