Archbishop Mabutas: A Servant of God and of the People (Part 1)

Archbishop Mabutas became a priest on April 6, 1946. When he celebrated his 50th year as a priest on April 6, 1996 Pope John Paul II wrote him in Latin saying among others “xx. we well know venerable brother that your past years are distinguished with many attestations of apostolic work adorned with admirable excellence. We admire your pastoral zeal, your firmness and wisdom in doctrine with the spirit of righteousness, prudence and fidelity to the Holy See. xx”

He was the right person at the right place at the right time on many occasions.

First: In 1947 he was assigned as an assistant priest and vice rector of an Ilocos Norte Seminary. On July 27, 1961 he became the first bishop of the Diocese of Laoag, Ilocos Norte. The favorite son of Ilocos Norte then was President Marcos who was a Congressman from 1949 to 1959, elected Senator in 1959 and later Senate President from 1963 until he became President in 1965. They became very good friends all their lives. In 1960s, Jesuit Father Claver was appointed Bishop of Malaybalay and Maryknoll Father Regan was appointed Bishop of Tagum, Davao del Norte. These two Bishops were the first to create GKKs in Mindanao and in Asia.

Second: In 1977, he attended a Bishops synod in Rome on Basic Ecclesial Community or GKK which was then a new concept. Of the 29 speakers he was the only speaker from Asia. Little did he know that he would be the spark in lighting the GKK in Asia. He coined the phrase “Small Christian Community” in his report to the synod. The literal Visayan translation of this concept is “Gamayng Kristohanong Katilingban”. Since the creation of the GKK the Mindanao Church became more active than the churches in the Visayas and Luzon.

Today, Church officials from other Asian Nations come to Mindanao to see how the GKK works because they see it as one of the main instruments in keeping the faith in the third millennium. Why? Because of population growth, there are more Catholics every year but the number of priests has not kept pace with the growth and the gap each year is widening. Many believe that GKK which is deeply rooted in the barrios and sitios can do a lot to help the church in the year 2000 and beyond.

Third: In 1979 a mother from Catalunan Pequeño complained that soldiers salvaged her son. Archbishop Mabutas and Atty. Manuel Cabaguio went to the Talomo Police Station, the police denied the son was there and referred them to another Police Station who also said they don’t know anything about it. The Archbishop was very agitated. He wrote a strongly worded letter and phoned President Marcos. He was the only Bishop who had the personal phone number of Marcos who asked if the Archbishop is willing to present the case to a fact finding body to be sent to Davao. The Bishop said yes. This became the Davao del Norte, Laac, Asuncion, Hamletting Scandal.