A story of resilience and overcoming adversity
Comillas CIHS hosted the presentation of the book "La Caverna: Diario del secuestro de un empresario vasco", written by the former Rector of Deusto, José María Guibert
22 November 2024
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (Comillas CIHS) at Comillas Pontifical University was the setting for the presentation of the book La Caverna: Diario del secuestro de un empresario vasco, written by José María Guibert, former rector of the University of Deusto, which offers a first-person testimony of the kidnapping of his father Jesús Guibert in 1983. In an emotionally charged event, Guibert shared with the audience the harrowing story of his father's kidnapping by ETA in the 1980s, an event that marked his family's life forever and transformed his existence and that of all those around him.
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Lecturer Emilio Sáenz-Francés, Director of the Department of International Relations, conducted the interview. During the talk, some chilling passages were quoted from the story, including one of the darkest moments for the family: the day they learned that their father had been kidnapped and, despite the anguish, they were relieved that at least he had not been killed. José María Guibert recalled how his father was kidnapped and released 16 days later in a cave, a time that seemed endless and that left scars on all those involved.
The former rector of Deusto also reflected on forgiveness, a key concept in his life, and shared how, through his faith in God, he managed to find the path to forgiveness, a process that was not easy but which allowed him to heal and live with the memories of that difficult experience. "Talking about what happened", according to Guibert, "gave me the strength to overcome the personal tragedy and find inner peace".
The presentation culminated with an emotional message about the importance of remembering and talking about what happened. Guibert emphasised that remembering is not only an act of homage to those who suffered, but a necessity to be aware of history, not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to build a more just and peaceful future. His father's story, courageously told in the book, is a testimony of resilience and overcoming adversity.
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