Guido Vidal França Schäffer was a Brazilian medical doctor and Catholic seminarian who lived from 1974 to 2009. Born in Volta Redonda, he practiced medicine in Rio de Janeiro, where he worked as a general practitioner and volunteered his services to the Missionaries of Charity. A dedicated surfer and man of faith, he felt a religious calling during his medical studies and later entered the seminary. He died at the age of thirty-four following a surfing accident at Barra da Tijuca beach.
Life and vocation
After completing his medical studies, Schäffer worked at the Holy House of Mercy and provided care to patients with HIV. Deeply influenced by the biblical call to serve the impoverished, he organized medical volunteers to assist the homeless. His spiritual journey eventually led him to pursue the priesthood, during which he balanced his seminary training with his medical duties and lay preaching ministry.
Death and recognition
Schäffer passed away in Rio de Janeiro due to a neck injury sustained while surfing. His funeral, attended by many clergy and laypeople, included a symbolic gesture where the Archbishop placed a stole in his hands. Following reports of miracles attributed to him, the Catholic Church began his beatification process. He was officially declared a venerable in 2023.