Blessed Buenaventura García-Paredes Pallasá
Profile
Born to a pious family of shepherds, and he worked the fields as a boy. Educated at the Dominican Apostolic School. Dominican novice in Toledo, Spain; he made his solemn profession in 1887, taking the name Bonaventure of Saint Louis Bertran. Studied theology in Avila, Salamanca, Valencia and Madrid in Spain, concentrating on the works of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Priest, ordained on 25 July 1891 in Avila. Obtained doctorates in philosophy and civil law. Returned to Avila where he taught and began writing. Prior of his house in 1901. Opened a school in Segovia, Spain. Superior of the province of Manila, Philippines on 14 May 1910. Supervised the building of schools and hospitals in China, Japan and Vietnam; he worked to recruit more Dominican friars, and to insure the proper spiritual formation of those novices. Founded the magazine Missiones Dominicans. Built the Theological Study Center of New Orleans, Louisiana. Elected reluctant Master-General of the Dominicans on 22 May 1926; he was actually hoping to retire, but accepted the duty. Martyred in the persecutions of the Spanish Civil War.
Born
- shot by firing squad on 12 August 1936 in Fuencarral, Madrid, Spain
- buried in the cemetery of Fuencarral
- re-interred in the crypt of the Santísimo Rosario Church in Madrid in 1940
- re-interred at the Convento de Santo Tomás de Ávila, Madrid in 1967
- 26 June 2006 by Pope John Paul II (decree of martyrdom)
MLA Citation
- “Blessed Buenaventura García-Paredes Pallasá“. CatholicSaints.Info. 30 January 2022. Web. 30 April 2024. <>