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José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros was born on October 26, 1864 in the village of Isnotú in the state of Trujillo, Venezuela. His mother worked as a housekeeper, and his father sold pharmaceuticals and livestock.
When he was thirteen, José told his parents that he wanted to become a lawyer, but his mother talked him out of it; she wanted him to become a physician instead. He obliged her.
When he was 14-years-old, José left home and made the long journey to Caracas, where he enrolled in Colegio Villegas, a prestigious private high school. In 1882, he graduated with a baccalaureate in philosophy.
After high school, he went to the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) to study medicine. After six years of study, he received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1888. His professors noted that he was an outstanding student academically and in conduct.
After graduation from medical school, the Venezuelan government granted José a grant to do postdoctoral studies Europe in health-related fields such as bacteriology, histology, microbiology, pathology, and physiology. When he finished his postdoctoral studies, he returned to Venezuela and became a leading physician at the Hospital José María Vargas.
Although José Gregorio gave his all to medicine, teaching and practicing medicine from 1891 to 1916, his greatest desire was to become a Catholic priest. Unfortunately, however, that was not to be, because he his health was considered too fragile for the priesthood. In 1908, for example, José attended the Monastery of Lucca in Italy for ten months, and in 1913, he enrolled at the Latin America Pío School of Rome to continue studying for the priesthood. Due to health reasons, he had to return to Venezuela.
While he never became an ordained priest, he was a member of the secular order of Franciscans.
Dr. José was known for his love for the poor and his generosity toward them. It was not uncommon for him to treat poor patients for free and even buy them medicines with his own funds. In 1918, José helped care for those afflicted by the Spanish flu in Caracas. Dr. José Gregorio Hernández was killed on June 29, 1919 at the age of 54 when he was struck by a car.
He was a true home missionary, using the knowledge and skills he had to serve God by serving others.
On April 30, 2021, the Church beatified José Gregorio. Blessed José Gregorio’s feast day is October 26. He is a patron of medical diagnosticians, medical students, patients, and physicians.
