It is with deep sadness that we report the death of our longtime chaplain, Pablo Dabezies. The following is a message from the International Council of ICMICA

 

Pablo Dabezies Antía, Paul, priest of the Archdiocese of Montevideo -Uruguay, has died after a short illness, a leukemia that could not be overcome despite so many specialists committed to this task.

We believe that we can truly say that the IYCS – IMCS – ICMICA movements have been more than a part of his life. In many ways, he gave much of his life to our movements and has told us that he received a lot of life from the many people and generations that he has accompanied in our movements. He has been with us through various important ecclesial and political moments, happy at times, very complicated in other stages, that our movements have lived.

He has served in many stages of the life of the movement. advisor at home for the student movements in Montevideo; chaplain in Lima for the Latin American Regional Secretariat of  MIEC – JECI. In 1978, at the IYCS World Council and IMCS World Assembly in Valladolid – Spain, he was elected a international chaplain of IMCS and IYCS in Paris (1978-1982). More recently, even with the restrictions of the pandemic, he remained faithful to the University Parish and he was the regional chaplain to the ICMICA Latin American Team.

Paul was growing in his vocation, in his pastoral service. He knew how to offer all his qualities, his humility, his knowledge, his spirituality to the people and concrete and tangible realities that at that moment and in that place,  he was accompanying. Paul knew how to move in areas and spheres, social and ecclesial, with people of different sensitivities. When he had to be vicar in Montevideo, he was. When you had to listen to people who were very hurt with the Church, there was Paul. Other friends will make memory of his parish life, of his fidelity in OBSUR, of so much and so much that he has written.

“Do not conform to the present time.” Church – society relations in the documents of the Uruguayan Episcopal Conference (1965 – 1985). This is the title of his doctoral thesis at the Catholic Institute in Paris. A work of maturity. The quote is Romans 12, 2. The Word of God, the Church, society – the country – Uruguay, the Second Vatican Council, Medellín, Puebla: all this was not so much the subject of the thesis, but the heart of life of Paul, of his life as a believer, as a priest, as a theologian, as a chaplain.

In the conclusions of the thesis, Paul wonders what it would be like if there was a greater centrality of the Cross, of the Word of God, in documents and in the lives of many Christian people. We are witnesses that they have been very present in his life.

We thank God for Paul’s passage through our lives. We have his discreet and faithful company: we believe in the Communion of saints. A fraternal greeting to all the brothers of the Movement of Latin America and the Caribbean, especially Uruguay, to all the friends of Paul and his relatives at that moment of farewell.

Message from the ICMICA Pax Romana International Council

 

 

Original in Spanish:

Pablo Dabezies Antía, Paul, sacerdote de la archidiócesis de Montevideo -Uruguay, ha fallecido tras una corta enfermedad, una leucemia que no pudo ser superada a pesar de tantos especialistas empeñados en esa tarea.

Creemos que podemos decir con verdad que los movimientos JECI – MIEC – MIIC han sido más que una parte de su vida. El nos ha dado mucha vida y, nos lo ha dicho en distintos momentos, también ha recibido mucha vida de tantas personas y generaciones que él ha acompañado en tiempos, eclesiales y políticos, felices a veces, muy complicados en otras etapas, que nuestros movimientos han vivido.

Asesor en casa, en Montevideo; asesor en Lima , en el Secretariado Latinoamericano MIEC – JECI; asesor en París de los equipos Internacionales, para el ancho mundo, después del Consejo Mundial de la JECI y de la Asamblea Mundial del MIEC, en Valladolid – España, en 1978. Actualmente, con las restricciones de la pandemia, seguía fiel a Parroquia Universitaria y era el asesor del Equipo Latinoamericano del MIIC.

Paul iba creciendo en su vocación, en su servicio pastoral. Sabía ofrecer todas sus cualidades, su humildad, su saber, su espiritualidad a las personas y realidades concretas y tangibles que en ese momento y en ese lugar estaba acompañando. Además, se permitía una fina ironía en cualquier circunstancia, también respecto a sí mismo.

Paul sabía moverse en áreas y ámbitos, sociales y eclesiales, con personas de sensibilidades y sintonías diferentes. Cuando le tocó ser vicario en Montevideo, lo fue. Cuando había que escuchar personas muy dolidas con la Iglesia, ahí estaba Paul.

Otros amigos harán memoria de su vida parroquial, de su fidelidad en OBSUR, de tanto y tanto que ha escrito.

“No se amolden al tiempo presente”. Las relaciones Iglesia – sociedad en los documentos de la Conferencia Episcopal del Uruguay (1965 – 1985). Así se titula su tesis doctoral en el Instituto Católico de París. Una obra de madurez. La cita es Romanos 12, 2. La Palabra de Dios, la Iglesia, la sociedad – el  país – Uruguay, el Concilio Vaticano II, Medellín, Puebla: todo ello fue no tanto el tema de la tesis, sino el corazón de la vida de Paul, de su vida de creyente, de cura, de teólogo, de asesor. En las conclusiones  de la tesis Paul se pregunta si no faltó una mayor centralidad de la Cruz, de la Palabra de Dios, en documentos y en la vida de muchas personas cristianas.

Somos testigos de que en su vida sí han estado muy presentes.

Damos gracias a Dios por el paso de Paul por nuestras vidas.

Contamos con su discreta y fiel compañía: creemos en la Comunión de los santos y santas.

Un saludo fraterno a todos los hermanos del Movimiento de America Latina y Caribe, en especial de Uruguay, a todos los amigos y amigas de Paul y a sus familiares en ese momento de despedida.

Mensaje del Consejo Mundial MIIC Pax Romana