Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Most. Rev. Charles Brown, D.D. celebrated a solemn thanksgiving mass after the reading of the Decree on the virtues of Venerable Teofilo Camomot on Wednesday, July 27, 2022./ Photo courtesy of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu FB page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A good pastor, formator, and founder.
This was how Archbishop Jose Cabantan, D.D, the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, described Venerable Teofilo Camomot in his homily during the Thanksgiving mass for Camomot held in Camomot’s hometown in Valladolid, Carcar City on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
Cabantan gave the homily during the holy mass presided by Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, His Excellency Most Rev. Charles Brown, D.D on Wednesday.
In his homily, Cabantan shared a glimpse of their experience from the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, which was among the place of pastoral assignments of Venerable Camomot.
“Venerable Teofilo Camomot is really a good pastor to us, a formator, and a founder. As a good pastor, he is a loving, caring, and prayerful pastor..He is truly a man of prayer and his presence deepened the faith of the people in the parish,” Cabantan said.
On June 10, 1958, Camomot was sent to Cagayan de Oro and was enfolded as coadjutor bishop with the right of succession. He was also assigned in Balingasag town as a parish priest.
‘Lived simply’
Cabantan said that though Camomot is known to be a quiet and a deep person, being a man of few words, he had delivered good homilies that touched the lives of the people.
Cabantan also shared that Camomot is truly a dedicated servant of the Eucharist and other Sacraments as he went around parishes, even those situated in geographically disadvantaged areas during his time, just to administer sacraments such as the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Cabantan was among those who received the Sacrament of Confirmation through Camomot in Cagayan de Oro.
The prelate recalled accounts of Camomot’s generosity to the needy and how he remained humble, simple and faithful.
“He lived simply. His usual dinner was misua and egg and at times mixed with malunggay leaves,” he said.
More than 5,000 individuals attended the Archdiocesan thanksgiving activities for Venerable Camomot on Wednesday at the St. Teresa of Avila Chapel, DST Compound, in Valladolid, Carcar City.
READ: Archdiocese of Cebu to hold Thanksgiving activities for Venerable Teofilo Camomot in Carcar
Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Most. Rev. Charles Brown, D.D. celebrated a solemn thanksgiving mass after the reading of the Decree on the virtues of Venerable Teofilo Camomot promulgated by the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, as mandated by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, last May 21, 2022.
On behalf of the petition of the cause of beatification and canonization of Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma read the decree, which was originally in Latin, in English on Wednesday.
File photo
“He showed himself to be an authentic image of Christ, the good shepherd, and an extraordinary witness of the love for the poor and the needy by spending his life for the sanctification of the Church,” reads a portion of the Decree.
“His simple lifestyle, deep spiritual maturity, and exemplary equilibrium served as a defying example to the people around him, especially to the clergy and to the religious,” it added.
Venerable Teofilo Bastida Camomot was born on March 3, 1914 in Cogon, Carcar City, Cebu.
Venerable Camomot entered the Seminario Menor de San Carlos in Mabolo, Cebu City for his secondary education and he pursued his philosophical and theological studies at the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos.
On December 14, 1941, he was ordained to the priesthood.
He died in a vehicular accident on September 27, 1988 in San Fernando, Cebu.
The unveiling of the portrait of Teofilo Camomot followed the reading of the Decree. Mother Superior Ma. Louella Grace Buscato, DST, led the unveiling of the portrait.
/bmjo