Antonio Mabutas Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Most Reverend
Antonio Mabutas
Honorific-Suffix:J.C.D., D.D.
Archbishop Of:Archbishop of Davao
Province:Davao
Diocese:Davao
See:Davao
Enthroned:9 December 1972
Ended:6 November 1996
Predecessor:Clovis Thibault
Successor:Fernando Capalla
Ordination:6 April 1946
Consecration:5 June 1961
Other Post:Bishop of Laoag
Birth Date:1921 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Agoo, La Union, Philippine Islands
Death Place:Davao City
Consecrated By:Salvatore Siino
Coat Of Arms:Coat of arms of Antonio Lloren Mabutas as Archbishop of Davao.svg
Antonio Lloren Mabutas
Dipstyle:His Excellency
Offstyle:Monsignor

Archbishop Antonio Lloren Mabutas † (13 June 1921 – 22 April 1999) was the first bishop of Diocese of Laoag and the second Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Davao. He succeeded Clovis Thibault, PME on 9 December 1972. He was also the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines from 1981 to 1985.

Although he was considered a conservative within the Catholic Church hierarchy,[1] Mabutas is noted to be the first Roman Catholic Archbishop to write a pastoral letter to criticize human rights violations under the Marcos dictatorship.[2]

Early years

Born in Agoo, La Union, he was ordained priest on 6 April 1946 at the young age of 24. On 5 June 1961 he was appointed bishop of Laoag and was ordained a month after.

Archbishop of Davao

Before becoming as Archbishop of Davao, the then-Most Rev. Antonio Ll. Mabutas was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Davao with Most Rev. Clovis Thibault, PME, JCL, DD as its first Archbishop. This was during the time the Diocese of Davao was elevated to the status of an Archdiocese. Before becoming the Archbishop of Davao, he served as titular archbishop of Valeria on 25 July 1970. He succeeded as the archbishop of Davao on 9 December 1972.

The pastoral letter he wrote on martial law, "Reign of Terror in the Countryside", citing human rights abuses and killings of church workers, is notable for having been the first pastoral to be written against Marcos' administration.[3] [2]

Retirement and death

He retired as archbishop of Davao on 6 November 1996. He died two and half years later at the age of 77 where he served as a priest for 53 years and a bishop for 37 years.

Legacy

Some of Archbishop Mabutas' effects have been preserved, and are viewable to the public at the Museo de Iloko in his hometown of Agoo, La Union.[4]

See also

References

Memoirs of Antonio Ll. Mabutas: Archbishop of Davao, a Tambara Publication, Ateneo de Davao University, 1996

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Youngblood, Robert L. . Marcos against the church : economic development and political repression in the Philippines . 1993 . New Day Publ . 971-10-0512-3 . Quezon City . 312239945.
  2. News: Maglana . MAgz . VOICES FROM MINDANAO: Fear is not a good foundation for getting Mindanao out of the rut . 8 February 2020 . MindaNews . 2017-07-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200208094745/https://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2017/07/voices-from-mindanao-fear-is-not-a-good-foundation-for-getting-mindanao-out-of-the-rut/ . 2020-02-08.
  3. Web site: Honoring Davao's Contributions to the Struggle for Rights, Freedom . Bantayog ng mga Bayani . 8 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180228182116/http://www.bantayog.org/davao-konsensya/ . 2018-02-28 . live.
  4. Web site: South Circuit – Agoo, La Union . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200920175155/https://launion.gov.ph/la-union-circuits/south-circuit/south-circuit-agoo-la-union/ . 2020-09-20 . 2020-09-20 . Provincial Government of La Union . en-US.