Camomot two miracles away from being ‘Saint’

CEBU, Philippines —  Archbishop Teofilo Camomot is two miracles away from being declared “Saint”.

Vatican has granted the Cebuano prelate the title of “Venerable,” advancing the cause for his sainthood. It now needs only one miracle for Camomot to be declared "Blessed" and another one for him to be declared "Saint".

According to the Cebu Archdiocese, Pope Francis authorized Marcello Cardinal Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, to promulgate a decree on Camomot’s virtues on May 21, 2022.

Born in Carcar City, Camomot was ordained as priest for the Cebu Archdiocese in 1941 and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Jaro in Iloilo province in n 1955. He was named coadjutor archbishop of Cagayan de Oro in 1958.

While in CDO, Camomot founded the Carmelite Tertiaries of the Blessed Eucharist in Misamis Occidental in November 1959, which later became the Congregation of Santa Teresa.

After staying for 12 years in Cagayan de Oro, Camomot resigned as coadjutor archbishop and returned to Cebu in 1970.

According to a report of the Cebu Archdiocese, Camomot died in a vehicular accident on September 27, 1988 at the age of 74.

“His dedication to the poor and detachment from material possessions were the trademarks of his ministry,” the Cebu archdiocese said in a statement.

Camomot was also “known for his fame of sanctity during his life, his death and after his death.”

Road to Sainthood

In December 2010, the archdiocese, during the incumbency of the late Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, opened the diocesan phase of the cause of Camomot’s beatification and canonization.

Upon advice from the Vatican, current Archbishop Jose Palma authorized the reopening of the diocesan process on the life, virtues, and fame of sanctity of Camomot.

The process started on January 5, 2016 until March 2, 2017. The Congregation of the Causes of Saints granted the decree of validity of the diocesan process on November 19, 2015.

The “Positio” on the life, virtues, and fame of sanctity of Archbishop Camomot was submitted to the Vatican in 2020.

On October 21, 2021, the special congress composed of nine Theological Consultants gave their unanimous approval on the heroic virtues of the prelate.

The cardinals and bishops in the ordinary session of May 3, 2022, chaired by Cardinal Semeraro, affirmed that the Filipino prelate exercised the theological, cardinal and concomitant virtues to a heroic degree.

After these facts were presented to Pope Francis through an accurate report of Marcello Cardinal Semeraro on May 21, 2022, Pope Francis, having accepted and approved the decision of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, ordered that the Decree to this effect be made public and placed among the Acts of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Reaction

Fr. Mhar Balili who is on top of the cause of Camomot’s sainthood said the development is answered prayer.

“I thank the Lord for this great blessing to all of us that the Holy Father granted the title venerable. Our prayers are answered. Now we continue to pray for a miracle for him to be declared as blessed,” he said in a statement.

Mother Louella Grace Buscato, superior general of the Daughters of Santa Teresa sisters in Villadolid, Carcar, said they praise God for the good news from the Vatican.

“Venerable na gyud si Msgr. Camomot. Happy for the positive result and continue praying for a miracle needed for his canonization. To God all the glory!” Buscato said.

“Naa ta giobserbahan… hopefully, may miracle soon,” she added.

DST has initiated Camomot's beatification and canonization to become the next Filipino saint after San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod.

Meanwhile, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas is also elated, especially with Camomot having served as parish priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Teresa of Avila in Barangay Poblacion.

“This is a gift to the church. A wonderful gift for our country and particularly to the people of Cebu’s First District and the city of Carcar where the late bishop was born and developed his love and devotion for God. Dako akong pasalamat nga usa ang atong pinalanggang dakbayan mismo nahimong kabahin sa pagpanerbisyo ug ministry ni Msgr. Lolong. He was formerly the parish priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Teresa of Avila in Barangay Poblacion,” Gullas said.

He called on Cebuanos to continue praying for Camomot to become Saint.

“Let us all continue to pray for Msgr. Lolong’s eventual elevation towards sainthood. The road to sainthood is a tedious process and it will need our prayers and devotion for it to happen. I hope that in my second term as mayor, we will all work together to help in promoting Msgr. Lolong’s cause for sainthood,” Gullas said.- Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, JMO (FREEMAN)