Faithful Servant

CEBU, Philippines — Apart from helping the less fortunate, Archbisho Teofilo Camomot was likewise keen on the plight of priests – both their spiritual needs and physical wellbeing. Fr. Glicerio Diosana, who had assisted the archbishop in El Pardo, attested: “He had a vision for priests. For one, he made sure I and other priests were covered with SSS benefits which helped me as well as other retired priests until now. Of all the parish priests I worked with, he was the most special because I learned so many things from him. Money had no value to him. He enhanced our spiritual life. And even in the shortness of time that I was with him, I could say that he was certainly a saint.”

The parishioners in El Pardo petitioned to the archdiocese for then Fr. Camomot to be retained in their parish. He stayed for six years there, until the Chancery deemed it proper to bring him back to his birthplace, Carcar town. He was appointed parish priest of St. Catherine de Alexandria Church in February 19, 1976. He was 61 years old by that time.

He spent his twilight years among his family and friends. On the same year, Cardinal Rosales designated Camomot as Vicar Forane of the Vicariate of Sta. Teresita, requesting him to “watch over the clergy of your district, to see that the clergy carry out the decrees and orders of the Bishop, to satisfy yourself that the rules concerning the Churches of your District and especially rules concerning the Blessed Sacrament are accurately observed.”

In just five days, he received yet another letter from Cardinal Rosales, appointing Monsignor Camomot

“as my Vicar General, ad bene placitum nostrum (at our good pleasure) according to canon 366, to take part in my pastoral vigilance and solicitude.” The appointment make the monsignor  in-charge of “the territory comprising of the Vicariates of Carcar, Argao, Oslob, Malabuyoc, and Barili in the administration of all the spiritual and  temporal affairs within the limits of the Vicariates.”

As always, Monsignor Camomot diligently carried out the Church’s mission as ordered. Notwithstanding his age, he regularly walked around the town and trekked mountain paths to visit his parishioners, especially the sick.

He had at least two mentally-challenged friends in the vicinity of the Church in Carcar. He would introduce them to the life-sized statues of the 12 apostles at the churchyard. At times he brought them to the seashore to take a bath.

Camomot never wavered in his desire to reach out to people, tirelessly serving them day after day. Zenaida Paninsoro, a member of the Legion of Mary in Carcar, had accompanied the bishop in going to the mountain villages, recounted her experience:

“I and other legionaries, together with his sacristan, accompanied him in the mission. We climbed up the mountain with him. We, his companions, were already gasping for breath, but he wasn’t…  Whenever someone in the house [we visited] was sick, we would not leave unless the sick person could make confession.

“There was a time when a sick person was very weak, bedridden for already one month. Monsignor talked to him and touched his forehead tenderly. After a while, the sick arose and then sat down.

“There was an instance that when we arrived at a particular house, and the sick person smelt so bad. I and my three other companions were already covering our noses but Monsignor just ignored [the smell]. He also never showed signs that he was bothered by [it at all].” (FREEMAN)