Guido Schaffer

Guido Vidal França Schäffer was the son of Guido Manoel Vidal Schäffer and Maria Nazareth França Schäffer. His father is a doctor and his mother is a member of the Good Shepherd Community (Catholic Charismatic Renewal). Schäffer grew up in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, where he learned to enjoy the beach and surfing.[4] He studied medicine at the Faculty Technical Educational Souza Marques (1993-1998).[5] He made residence and later joined the medical staff of the 4th and 20th Wards of the Holy House of Mercy of Rio.[6] He decided to become a general practitioner, specialty that allowed him to assess the patient as a whole. During his academic education he was also dedicated to care for HIV patients, at the Evandro Chagas Hospital (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation).

Remembered for his knowledge of the Word of God and for the importance he gave to the sacraments and the use of the charisms of the Holy Spirit, Schäffer founded several prayer groups and held many lectures. In 1999, during a retreat at the Canção Nova (New Song) Community, Schäffer heard a priest preaching the following passage: "Never turn your face from the poor and God will never turn his from you" (Tob 4,7). At that moment he reflected how many times he had looked away from the poor. He asked God for forgiveness and said, "Jesus, help me take care of the poor." A week later he met the sisters of the order founded by Mother Teresa (Missionaries of Charity), whose mission is the care for the poor. He realized that God had heard his request and was giving him the direction he wanted for his medicine. He offered his work to the sisters of charity and started to meet the homeless on the streets. He organized the volunteers inviting other doctors from the Holy House of Mercy and the youth of the prayer group.

When reading the book "The brother of Assisi", by Ignacio Larrañaga, he felt called to the priesthood.[4] Schäffer fulfilled the first years of preparation at the Institute of Philosophy and Theology of the Monastery of Saint Benedict of Rio de Janeiro. As an external student he conciliated the preparatory studies for the priesthood with his volunteer medical work and the preaching of God's Word. In 2008, he joined the Saint Joseph Seminary (Rio de Janeiro) in order to finish his studies.[1]

On May 1, 2009, at thirty-four years old, Schäffer died, victim of an injury to the neck that caused unconsciousness and drowning while surfing at the Barra da Tijuca beach, Rio de Janeiro.[7]

The funeral mass with the body present, held the next day (May 2), chaired by the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro - now Cardinal - Orani João Tempesta in the parish of Our Lady of Copacabana, called the attention of all that attended it. The church, which was packed with about 1700 people from all locations and social classes, was attended by approximately seventy priests and three bishops. Before the coffin closed at the end of the Mass, Tempesta said: "This church so full shows me how this young man was a good shepherd, and as I know of his desire to become a priest, I will put the stole in his hands." The bishop then came down the presbytery and placed the stole in Schäffer’s hands, and he was buried with it.

After his death, soon reports of cures started to appear, attributed to the intercession of the young doctor, seminarian and surfer.[8] On January 17, 2015, with permission from the Vatican, the process of beatification and canonization was initiated, by Tempesta. At this stage, Schäffer received the title “Servant of God”.[9][1]

Among the surfers exist a devotion towards him, and he got pseudonym "Surfer Angel".[9] Also, the Tempesta considers him an inspiration for many youth on the saintly way, saying: "you can be young, like the beach, surfing, singing, and at the same time have your heart in God, being a witness to Him in front of people, being an example of Christian life"[10]

• Guido Schaffer official website in english
• Guido Schaffer Facebook page (portuguese)