THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND WORKS OF FR. CANTIUS KOBAK
A Polish Priest and
Historian in the Philippines
Author: Carl Sanchez
Bordeos
Bridging the past to the present is what this book
has successfully accomplished. The author, Carl Sanchez Bordeos, was able to
connect piece by piece the significant events in the life of the great Samar
historian, the adopted Calbayognon, the personification of Franciscan mission,
and the pride of the Polish people, Fr. Cantius Kobak.
The book which is studded with well-researched
facts and old photos, traces the footsteps of Fr. Kobak. It engages readers on
Fr. Kobak’s journey from his birth to his finding his priestly mission, to the
trails of his mission in the Philippines and his legendary work in assembling
the records of the rich history and heritage of the Samar Island, especially
during the pre-Hispanic period. It establishes the generosity of spirit of Fr.
Kobak, both as a priest and as a historian, and puts him on a rightful place in
the history of Franciscan mission in the Philippines and elevates him as one of
the important historians the Philippines ever had.
Fr. Kobak came to Samar on August 28, 1959. It
appears that right from start, he immediately developed his deep appreciation
of the island leading him to take the monumental challenge of documenting its storied
past. Undaunted by the then seeming lack of records and huge data gaps, Fr.
Kobak explored the libraries in Samar and Leyte universities in search of
documents.
Undeterred by poor roads and transportation at that
time, he travelled across towns and islands in Samar and Leyte. He conducted
research of their histories, visited historic sites, explored caves and burial
grounds and collected valuable artifacts. He also visited the site of
Magellan’s first landing in Homonhon Island which he also believed to be where
the first mass in the Philippines was celebrated.
In 1967, he also took part in the retrieval,
translation and annotation of the volumes of Fr. Francisco Alcina’s Historia de
las Islas y Indios de Bisayas, the surviving well-written volumes of books about
the Visayan people.
His body of works and collection of valuable artifacts are now stored and exhibited at the Samar Archeological Museum in Christ the King College, Calbayog City, which is now highly regarded in the country as the banner museum in the Samar Island. Succeeding historians and students of Samar’s history, including the author of this book, will never come out with a paper without going through the works of Fr. Kobak.
Fr. Kobak has done all these while attending to his
pastoral and evangelization mission as a Franciscan. He exemplified what is
meant by integral evangelization. His life’s journey taught all of us not to
idle time in the service of God and humanity in whatever place and circumstance
one may find in; in his case, a Polish and a European sent to mission in one of
the poorest regions of the world, the Samar Island. His life and work were
indeed “extraordinary” as aptly mentioned in the title of this book.
After reading this book, one important reflection
is that – if Fr. Cantius Kobak who is a foreigner developed a genuine and deep love
and concern for the island of Samar, how much more us who are born natives of
this island?
Thirty-two years since he left the Philippines and
seventeen years since his death, this book came to be. It may be long-delayed
but was never made irrelevant by the passing of time. This only means that Fr.
Kobak’s life will always ring an inspiring tune in the heart of every Samarnon.
Thanks to the author, Carl Sanchez Bordeos and the Embassy of the Republic of
Poland in the Philippines for immortalizing and reliving the legacy left by Fr.
Kobak’s thru this book.
