The Early Priesthood

CEBU, Philippines — December 14, 1941 – the third Sunday of Advent – was the day of the priestly ordination of 27-year-old Teofilo Camomot. At the time Christmas was already in the air as the ordinandi, clad in white albs, entered the Cebu Cathedral. At that moment, the priestly journey of the young Teofilo had just begun.

The cathedral was full house for the occasion, including Teofilo’s parents and siblings. His Excellency Most Reverend Gabriel Reyes, the first archbishop of Cebu, presided over the solemn rites wherein he ordained Teofilo as priest. But the new priest would not have the opportunity to celebrate his first Mass – his Canta Misa – at the St. Catherine de Alexandria Parish in his hometown Carcar. The tradition was upset by World War II which was already on its second year at the time. Instead, Padre Lolong celebrated his very first Mass on the upstairs of the family residence in Cogon, Carcar, attended only by his family and close relatives.

Despite the risk of being spotted, Fr. Camomot would proudly wear his cassock in times when he went out to do pastoral work among the poor. It was a bold thing to do at wartime. His younger sister Remedios recalled: “Some people have told him not to go around in his cassock because it makes him a target for snipers. But he would always say, ‘Then how will people know I am a priest? To have a priest around gives them hope and strength.’”

The new priest wasn’t as eloquent as the other, more experienced preachers. To compensate his lack, Fr. Camomot would painstakingly prepare his homilies, writing an outline on pieces of paper, which practice he continued throughout his ministry. He would also spend hours hearing confessions and patiently ‘stood by’ penitents who wanted to be reconciled with the Lord.

Fr. Camomot was wholehearted in his appreciation of his priestly vocation. In the twilight of his life, he wrote a sermon and imparted his personal ideals on priesthood: “My brothers and sisters, how great is the power of the priests. St. John Chrysostom, said that priests are given the power which is not given to the angels, not even to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Is there an angel in heaven who is given the power to forgive sins?”

And the new priests he encouraged: “May you receive all the graces and strength of God to live worthy of the gift of priesthood. Always abide to God’s guidance, put God at the center of your life. Pray your breviary that can light your path, and say your Mass everyday—the source of your strength. And do your meditation every day to deepen and strengthen both your prayer of the breviary and your celebration of the Mass. According to Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, the breviary and sins are sometimes together, and even Mass and sins. But meditation and sin can never be together. Only one of them will rule over the soul.”