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Sunday, November 14, 2004
Bishop Cabajar's: Journal on canvas
Jenara Regis Newman peeks into the very visual 'diary' of a bishop.
Newly installed Bishop of Pagadian, most Rev. Emmanuel T. Cabajar, C.SS.R., D.D., says that he would rather paint than write a journal or a diary. In effect, his paintings are his diary and he has anecdotes for each one of them.
A self-taught artist, the bishop is a Redemptorist missionary who has lived mostly in Mindanao. In doing mission work, he gets his inspiration to paint scenes or people. Not having the luxury of doing on-site paintings, he takes pictures of subjects that inspire him to paint at later time, not necessarily the way the subject looks in the photograph, but the way the subject looks in his mental image or missionary message of it. Incidentally, he not only paints but also composes inspirational songs, one of the more popular of which is “Gabon sa Paghigugmaay.”
Manny, as he is more popularly called (some call him “Sir”) is one of the seven children of Felicidad Treveño and Tomas Cabajar. Born in Bohol during the war, he grew up in San Nicolas where he finished his elementary schooling, and spent a year in Abellana Technical High School before entering the Seminario Menor de San Carlos in Mabolo.
He joined the Redemptorist novitiate in 1960, was professed in 1961, and was then sent to Ireland to complete his studies in Cluain Mhuire, Galway. He was ordained in 1966. He was sent to Rome for his licentiate studies after which he volunteered to work in Davao as a missioner. From Davao, he was sent to Madrid to do a doctoral mission while at the same time he taught part-time in St. Francis Xavier Seminary.
From Davao, he was transferred to Iligan. In 1990, with four confreres, he initiated the way of living the Redemptorist Itinerant Mission Community (RIMC), now recognized as an alternative way of living the Redemptorist life in this country. He became Vicar Provincial in 1996, and elected General Consultor of the Congregation from 1997 to 2003. He was installed fourth bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian on September 2, 2004.
His artistic career started in the 60’s when he helped make illustrations for children's catechesis during summer vacations in Busay. Though he never studied fine arts, he won first prize in a national painting competition for clerical students in Gormanstown, Ireland, in 1965. He works with oils, acrylic and cray pas, always on canvass. In the 70’s, he joined group exhibits in Davao and is founding member of the Durian Artists Association.
His works then were social commentaries. He had his first one-man exhibit at the Habana Compound in Davao. While in Spain, he was invited to an exhibit in the University of Madrid in 1976.
In Cebu, his first one-man exhibit was in 1998 at the Grand Hotel. The theme was “A Missionary’s Art Journey.” “A Missionary’s Journey: Part II” is slated for Nov. 12-28, at SM City Cebu sponsored by the Goodwill Rehabilitation and Training Center for the Handicapped in cooperation with the Redemptorists; proceeds will go to the formation of lay missionaries.
(November 14, 2004 issue)
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