Bio

†Cesáreo Gabaráin (1936–1991) was one of the best-known composers of Spanish liturgical music during his lifetime. Born in Hernani in the Basque country of northern Spain, he was ordained a Catholic priest in 1959. Throughout his career, he served as a university and nursing home chaplain, assistant pastor, headed a theology department at a local college, and traveled extensively offering workshops and more. Gabaráin published 37 collections of liturgical music and more than 500 songs. “Pescador de Hombres,” written in 1979, appears in hymnals of many Christian denominations and has been translated into over 80 languages.

In 2021, Father Gabaráin was accused of committing sexual abuse during his ministry in the 1970s. These allegations were investigated by the Archdiocese of Madrid and the Marist community to which he belonged, but no substantial evidence of their veracity was found, and the investigations were closed. Read OCP’s statement here.