God is in the Heart:

The Life and Pastoral Ministry of Archbishop Teofilo B. Camomot

Copyright © 2013 by the Daughters of Saint Teresa and Angela Blardony Ureta
Published by the Daughters of Saint Teresa (DST)
DST Generalate House
Valladolid, Carcar City
Cebu, Philippines
ISBN No. 978-971-95664-0-3
All rights reserved.

Chapter One
His Name is Teofilo — “Lover of God”

The countryside town of Cogon is one of the many idyllic, pastoral settlements in
Carcar, Cebu. Today, Carcar is considered a “heritage city” where public structures
crafted in Spanish and American architectural styles still tower over the landscape
like silent sentinels, reminding its present dwellers of the city’s once-thriving
colonial past. One of these glorious monuments to history is the Church of St.
Catherine of Alexandria, which continues to beat as the heart of the city. Like a
grand old lady lined with wisdom and filled with ineffable grace, it sits at the top of a
hill, watching over the changing generations of parishioners with a maternal gaze
that has seen life’s beginnings, milestones, celebrations and departures for well over
a century.

It was at the baptismal font of this church that on March 4, 1914, an infant less than
a day old received the Catholic faith. As the parish priest, FatherJose Abad, poured
water over the little one’s forehead, he also christened the child with the name that
would identify him before God and man:Teofilo. From the Greek source
“Theophilus”, it meant “lover of God” — a providential choice that defined the life
that was to be.The child’s father, Luis Aleson Camomot, was a farm owner of
considerable means. Known for his generosity, both neighbors and strangers
knocked at his door in times of need and would always return come home laden
with grain, fruits, and whatever else the kind gentleman could provide from the
yield of his land.

After a week of tending his farm, he donned his Sunday clothes and made his way to
St. Catherine’s Church where he was a cantor(lead singer)for the parish choir. Luis
had been a widower; his first wife, Saturnina Rosales, left him with son Diosdado
and daughter Otilla, who were still very young when their mother passed away.
After two years of mourning, he found love again in the person of Angela Bastida, a
young lady from Dumlog, Talisay, and he remarried. Eight children were born of this
union: Filomena, Hedeliza, Teofilo, Tereso, Elpidio, Carmen, Amado,
and Remedios.

Teofilo Bastida Camomot was born on March 3, 1914, at their family home in Cogon.
It was a Tuesday and the feast of St. Katherine Drexel,coincidentally a holy woman
born to wealth but who spent her entire life and fortune serving the poorest of the
poor. Little is known about thecircumstances that surrounded the first stages of
Teofilo’s life, except for the fact that he was baptized the very next day and
confirmed a year later by the Bishop of Cebu, Juan Gorordo, the first Filipino to hold
such position.

But as Teofilo would later attest, he and his siblings were raised in a devout Catholic
home where both parents dutifully instilled in them the values of reverence for God
and charity for fellowmen not only by their words but, more importantly, by their
example. They were punctilious in meeting their duties and devotions, which
included regular attendance in Mass, daily observance of the Angelus, and praying
the rosary as a family.

Those early years were no different from the life of the average child growing up at
a time when Filipinos were still trying to define themselves amidst the Old World
piety and religiosity that was the legacy of Spain, and the more liberal and
egalitarian educational and political systems imposed by the Americans.
Like most boys and girls of that generation, his mother was his first tutor; he
learned to read and write at home before being sent to a public school at age seven,
the mandatory school age under the prevailing American rule. At the local
elementary school, Teofilo was drilled in the Three R’s and — as native languages
had no place in the colonial classroom — it was also here that he first learned
English, which he eventually learned well enough to express himself as elegantly as
he did with the Spanish and Cebuano languages that were used at home.
The young Teofilo (whose nickname “Lolong” would be used endearingly by those
close to him throughout his adult life) was not a child prodigy by any account. Meek
and unassuming, he also had a frail constitution that got him bullied by the more
robust and aggressive boys. On those occasions, it was the younger sibling, Tereso,
who would rush to his brother’s side and get into a brawl instead.

After completing the intermediate level (Grade 7), Lolong left school for a year to
assist his father at the farm. He developed a fondness for working in the corn fields
and seriously considered taking up secondary education at an agricultural school in
Mindanao, but his mother refused to give her blessing. She cannot imagine how her
timid and sickly son can survive in a strange new place, alone and so far away from
home. Obediently, Lolong stayed and pondered his future in the silence of his heart.
It was nothing less than divine intervention that brought home his halfbrother
Diosdado, who was fourteen years older and already parish priest ofMoalboal, a
fishing town in the southwestern tip of Cebu. (Years later,this same Fr. Diosdado R.
Camomot would establish the Colegio de SanCarlos in San Fernando after World
War II, and would become part of the team that translated the Roman Missal and the
Holy Bible into Cebuanofollowing the liturgical revisions of Vatican II.)
The scholarly young priest could not understand why Lolong preferred to plow the
field rather than be engaged in higher learning. With sensitivity sharpened by
experience in counseling and pastoral work, it soon became apparent to Fr. Dado
that his brother was going through a period of transition quite common in
adolescents. Rather than allowing the boy to abandon school completely, he
convinced Lolong to continue studying at a minor seminary. And while God is in the
Heart:The Life and Pastoral Ministry of Archbishop Teofilo B. Camomot the teenager
had no initial attraction to the priesthood, he welcomed his brother’s advice with
genuine interest.

In those days, having a priest in the family was a welcome and providential blessing.
With the prospect of having two of his sons in the priesthood, Luis Camomot
considered himself truly favored. He agreed to the proposal without hesitation, as
did his wife who saw the seminary as a safe haven for the docile and introverted
boy. In 1932, at the age of 18, Teofilo Camomot entered the Seminario Menor de San
Carlos in Cebu City.

By grace, the reticent lad who left school to be a farmer found a renewed sense of
self as he began his priestly studies. While it was not his first vocation, the hand of
God touched the young man who then readily gave himself freely and totally to His
calling. While seminary life did not drastically change Teofilo’s quiet and modest
demeanor, a fire was stoked inside his heart — a burning desire to overcome his
earthly passions in order to be holy in the eyes of his Maker.

In the sunset of his life, Camomot wrote a sermon on the occasion of the ordination
of a new priest, a certain Father Llenos. By then already an Archbishop and having
spent all his adult life in God’s service, he crystallized his personal ideals of holiness
and virtue, giving the ordinand this sage advice:

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? May you receive all the graces and strength of God to live life 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, Teofilo’s
elder brother and mentor, Rev. Fr. Diosdado Rosales Camomot 09 the source of your
strength. And do your meditation everyday to deepen and strengthen both your
prayer of the breviary and your celebration of the Mass. According to Sts. 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.”

Thus, beautifully expressed in his own words, Teofilo Bastida Camomot extolled the
dignity and power of the priesthood. It was this spirit ofgratitude, piety and selfless
service that animated him throughout his religious life. He bore witness to this
wonderful gift and lived out its highest moral standards to the best of his ability,
thus embodying the very essence of his christened name — a lover of God, indeed.

Chapter Two
The Love of God Made Visible

At the San Carlos Seminary, Teofilo remained modest and withdrawn as he

completed his initial formation with the menoresand eventually moved onto the
more challenging years of tackling Philosophy and Theology at the seminario mayor.
His life followed a routine of prayer, liturgy and studies that seemed to complement
his docile personality. The only variations in this daily drill were the holiday breaks
he spent with his family back home in Carcar.

During those brief visits, Teofilo made up for his long absence by letting his younger
siblings play while he took over the household chores like chopping firewood,
fetching water, or helping prepare meals. His youngest sister Remedios, who was a
mere toddler when Teofilo left home, would later recall: “At first I did not realize he
was my brother because I seldom saw him. But I knew he was going to be a priest
because he always wore his sutana(cassock) everywhere he went. And when he
came to visit, he did not stay long in the house.

After completing his chores, he went out walking for hours, reaching as far as the
mountainside. He spent a lot of time with the farmers and the marginalized people
who lived in the outskirts of the city. Whenever he set out, he always brought with
him bags of corn, rice or vegetables to give away. Sometimes, he also asked our
mother for some medicine, clothes — whatever he could carry.”

Indeed, in the company of the poor and the powerless, Teofilo lost his usual
inhibition. He was impassioned and hands-on when responding totheir needs, and
showed resourcefulness in the many ways he sought to provide for them. His
generosity knew no bounds and he was known toquite literally take the shirt off his
back — or more often, the shoes from his feet — if he met a person who had none.
Teofilo’s years in the seminary were marked by many changes happening in the
ecclesiastical leadership in Cebu.

The Philippinization of the local Church radically increased the number of Filipino
priests in the Diocese. They now constituted the majority inparish administration in
contrast to the Spanish era. To the delight of the Cebuanos, Fr. Juan B. Gorordo, one
of their own, succeeded Bishop Thomas Hendrick in 1910 as Bishop of Cebu. He
served the Diocese faithfully until 1931, when he succumbed to ill health. Bishop
Gabriel Reyes took possession of the Diocese in 1934.

On April 28, 1936, two years after Bishop Reyes’ assumption, Cebu was elevated
into an Archdiocese by Pope Pius XI. Under the new MetropolitanProvince of the
Santísimo Nombre de Jesus were the suffragan dioceses of Jaro, Calbayog,
Zamboanga, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro.

Moreover, the world itself was also changing around him. World War II erupted in
Europe in 1939 with Germany waging war against Poland,France and the British
Empire. Closer to home, Imperial Japan had been engaged in a protracted war with
China. The Philippines was still underAmerican rule and it was only a matter of time
before the country would be dragged into the bloody fray. The inevitable came with
the bombing ofPearl Harbor on December 8, 1941. Within ten hours of the attack,
the Philippine Islands was invaded by Japan, with Cebu becoming one of its major
points of operation.

The Second World War caused great physical, social and economic dislocation in the
new Archdiocese. Many old churches were reduced to rubble. Little was left of the
Cathedral, which had just been embellished for the 20th Sacerdotal Anniversary of
Archbishop Gorordo in 1940.

Teofilo was in the process of completing his theological studies at the Seminario
Mayor de San Carlos when World War II broke out. As expected, with war came
poverty, suffering, injustice and persecution. It was an especially dangerous time for
able-bodied men as any male old enough to bear arms was subject to suspicion and
harassment by the Japanese soldiers, especially since the Cebuano guerilla
movement was rapidly gaining force. But the seminarian never went underground;
he did not even stop wearing his white sutanawhen going out on his mercy
missions for the poor. As his sister Remedios recalls: “Some people have told him
not to go around in his cassock because it makes him a moving
target for snipers. But he would always say, ‘Then how will people know I am a
priest? To have a priest with them gives them hope and strength.

Despite the odds, Teofilo was ordained priest on December 14, 1941. The ordination
was officiated by Archbishop Gabriel M. Reyes at the Metropolitan Cathedral of
Cebu. Due to the precarious situation, he was initially sent to assist his brother and
mentor, Fr. Diosdado Camomot, at his parish in San Fernando, a relatively quiet
municipality next to their hometown of Carcar.

His training as parochial vicar during the war exposed him to the harsh realities of
survival, all the more strengthening his inner conviction for a lifetime of service to
the oppressed. He was not an eloquent preacher but he worked very hard in crafting
his homilies, writing them down with his distinct broad, heavy strokes — a habit he
continued throughout his ministry and is attested to by the volumes of sheets,
notebooks and diaries he left behind. He was also a persevering confessor who
waited patiently for penitents who wished to be reconciled with God, sitting in the
confession box for hours before and after every Mass.

True to his name, Teofilo proved himself to be the love of God made visible. Many
years later, in the twilight of his life, he would articulate this unique and
transformative relationship with the Divine in an undated manuscript:

Let us keep our heart from all that can defile it, because it is the source of life. Let us
keep ourselves free from impurities from which cometh [the] death of our souls, the
end of saintliness and the end of all virtues.

It is the quest of the human heart to seek constantly after things that may render it
happy; but if it seeks them from creatures, how much so ever acquired, it will never
be satisfied with them but if it seeks God alone…
In 1943, the 29-year-old Fr. Teofilo Camomot was given his first assignment as
parish priest at Santa Teresa de Avila in Talisay. (Interestingly, the returning
American forces made their historic landing on the beaches of Talisay on March 26,
1945, signaling the eventual surrender of the Japanese forces in Cebu.) It was a
challenging appointment for the young priest, as parishioners were yet to recover
from the trauma and destruction left by the war. Many of them still suffered from
the bitter loss of loved ones, of property, of dignity… and for some, of their very
faith.

When he arrived, Talisay was all but leveled to the ground by the relentless
bombing of the liberation forces, so his first task was to rebuild the parish rectory
and to reconstruct a place of worship for his scattered flock. His gentle and amiable
ways immediately won the affection of his parishioners and soon, a chapel with a
makeshift convent were erected amidst the ruins.

Fr. Camomot stayed in Talisay for 12 fruitful years. Within this time, he engaged
himself in the tireless pursuit of souls through pastoral and evangelical work. He
reached out to everyone, whether of the same faith or outside it. (A considerable
percentage of the population had converted to the Philippine Independent Church
after the revolution against Spain but according to his previous biographical
accounts, the zealous Fr. Camomot was instrumental in bringing many of them back
to the Catholic fold.)

In the early years of his assignment, the youthful and energetic priest regularly
visited his parishioners, whether they lived around the town proper or in the
remotest barrios on the mountaintops. These personal encounters with the souls
under his care became invaluable tool in gaining their trust and their cooperation.
As described by a researcher: “In his first visit, he guided the family to realize the
grace of God [for] making them survive the dark days of the Japanese Occupation
and favored them to enjoy the peace of a liberated nation. He then would inspire
them to turn to God, for God is always pleased with grateful people.

This desire to gain an intimate knowledge of his flock in order to serve them better
did not go unnoticed. Many years later, one of his former parishioners would recall:
“He knew almost all the people in his parish because he visited even those who were
living very far away, to think that he was alone to do all the parish work.

In the church, he also doubled his efforts in making liturgical services available to
the most number of people and encouraged the laity to participate in the various
organizations and movements initiated by the parish. More masses were added to
the regular daily schedule particularly in the early evening, for the benefit of
students and the working folk. He promoted the “dawn rosary” and made himself
available at the confessional as early as 4 am. He likewise acted as spiritual director
to several churchbased groups, such as the Apostolado de la Oracion(Apostleship of
Prayer), the Legion of Mary, the Hijas de Maria(Children of Mary), the Adoracion
Nocturna(Evening Prayer Vigil group), and the Catholic Women’s League.
His brother Elpidio attests to Teofilo’s dedication to his priestly duties:
“He loved the poor so much that he gave whatever he had to those who asked for
help. His being kind, merciful and generous, especially to the poor, increased when
he was in the active ministry of the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Similarly, Lourdes Villahermosa, an active church volunteer in Talisay, remembers

him thus: “He was so humble that he lived a life of hard work and service to all
people. He was very much concerned about the spiritual and physical welfare of all,
to the point of depriving and sacrificing himself so that others may live. He gave
direction to the spiritual life of many persons in all the parishes where he was
assigned… He brought in new dimensions of Christian charity by revitalizing the
doctrine of love for our neighbors. Fearless and with a living faith, he shook the
conscience of those who counted themselves as belonging to the social strata of
distinction, who apparently showed no concern for the lowly or for those whom
society did not notice at all. He emphasized that it is in the poor that Jesus wants to
be loved and served.

His generosity was legendary. No one who approached him for help ever went away
empty-handed. “Padre Lolong” (as he was fondly called by his parishioners) was
known to be quick to dig his hand into his pocket and give away whatever he could
draw from it. When one pocket was empty, he would reach into the other and do the
same. And when his personal resources were exhausted, he would invite others to
provide — sometimes, even unwittingly. One account recalls how Fr. Camomot
encouraged his parishioners to donate some rice, which the townsfolk did quite
munificently thinking it was for the convent. Later, his kitchen staff grudgingly
reported that the priest asked them to divide the collected grain into several plastic
bags, which he later distributed to impoverished communities in the mountains. In
the end, hardly anything was left for the convent pantry.

Anecdotes about Fr. Camomot always abound with tales of selflessness and total
detachment to material possessions. Although he was always neat and well
groomed, his clothes were usually worn-out and his shoes, scuffed. This was for the
simple reason that he habitually gave his personal things away. One such account
tells us:

One day, passing by the house in Cebu City, my wife and I noticed that his
[Camomot] socks had big holes in them. And I exclaimed: “What, are you wearing
these in your visit to Rome?” And he had a torn undershirt too. We rushed to buy
him these and other little needs. And what happened? He reached Rome — as in,
nay, as was: he had given to the pier boys in Cebu the new things we’d bought!
In another instance, Fr. Camomot was said to have been making his usual round of
sick calls and home visits when he saw a tuba-gatherer perched on top of a coconut
tree. The man was wearing shabby pants that had more holes than cloth in them.
Good-naturedly, the priest summoned the fellow to come down and when he did, he
reached inside hissutana,took off his own pants and gave them to the man. “You can
have these,” he said to the bewildered man and went on his way.

Such was his largesse that it was not surprising he became an easy target for
beggars, conmen, even thieves. Before the crack of dawn, a long line of indigents
would queue at the parish door begging for alms, food or medicine. Amongst them
would also be jobless and indolent men who went on the guise of need but used the
money for drinking and gambling instead. His siblings — particularly his elder
sister, Hedeliza — tried to warn him against such abusive people but to no avail. The
priest would always reason out: “Ang mangingilad kausa ra mangilad. Ug ang tawo
dili mangilad pirmi.(A charlatan will only cheat you once. People can’t be cheating
you all the time.)” Such was his faith in the inherent goodness of man.

It was this same sister who protectively watched over her younger brother during
the times he was sick, yet continued to attend to the crowd of indigents asking for
help. Despite her protestations, Padre Lolong always found a way to get up and
leave his room, sometimes chiding her as he ministered to his people despite his
illness.

Fr. Camomot enjoyed over a decade of quiet existence in Talisay under the gaze of
its patroness, St. Teresa of Avila, for whom he developed lifelong fidelity and esteem.
It was in this parish that he started to develop an attraction toward Carmelite
spirituality — a deep devotion that would be visible throughout his life.
Despite being a diocesan priest, Fr. Camomot was very much animated by the
charism of Carmel. There are no known existing documents or concrete primary
references on how he was first introduced to the Carmelites, but we can derive
pearls of information from the history of how the Order of Discalced Carmelites
(OCD) was introduced to the Philippines and the manner in which it drew members
of the clergy into its fold as “tertiary priests”. It would be interesting to note that Fr.
Camomot figured prominently in the growth of the order’s chapter for priests:
Cebu is the cradle of Christianity in Asia. Its Carmel, dedicated to St. Therese, was
founded on May 27, 1949, by Mother Mary of Jesus, OCD. The following year, on July
16, 1950, the same Mother Mary organized the TOCD, and then Archbishop Julio
Rosales received into the Third Order his secretary, Fr. Epifanio Surban (later
bishop of Dumaguete), the chancellor, Fr. Luis Ceballos, Gorgonia Niere, Concepcion
Borromeo, Venestrano Borromeo, Ester Borromeo, Tomasa Jurado and others.
The following year, Archbishop Julio Rosales himself became a member with Msgr.
Cesar Alcoseba, Fr. Sergio Alfafara and Fr. Teofilo Camomot.

In 1952, Fr. Silverio of St. Teresa, Prior General of the Teresian Carmelite Order,
appointed Fr. Mark Horan of the Immaculate Conception, from the Anglo-Irish
Province as Apostolic Visitator to the Carmelite nuns in the Philippines. Fr. Horan
also became the first National Director of the Carmelite Third Order in the
Philippines.

The following years saw more priests joining the Secular Order, and their number
was even bolstered when a group of seminarians who had made their profession as
Secular Carmelites were ordained priests. This led to the establishment of the St.
Elias Chapter for priests with Fr. Teofilo Camomot as prior in 1955.

The article further states that throughout his life, Fr. Camomot “served other
dioceses afterwards but remained a Carmelite at heart”. This would be apparent on
how, throughout his life, he would use the symbols and motto of Carmel to herald
his ascent to higher office within two months of becoming prior of the secular
priests.

The fruits of Fr. Camomot’s pastoral labor and the respect that his parishioners held
for him did not escape the notice of church authorities. They saw in this humble,
self-effacing man a beacon of light that would bring more people closer to God
through his shining example. So they decided to officially proclaim him as a “herald
of faith… a steward of grace… a defender of the faith” and successor to the Apostles.
They decided to ordain him Bishop.

Chapter Three
Zealous for the Lord

Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1955. At half past six in the morning, the bells of the
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral pealed with joy and jubilation, announcing the ascent
of a beloved son to an esteemed office of the Roman Catholic Church. .

Given the office “Titular Bishop of Clysma and Auxiliary Bishop-Elect of Jaro, Iloilo”,
the 41-year-old Teofilo Camomot was consecrated by The Most Reverend Julio R.
Rosales, Archbishop of Cebu, together with Bishop Manuel Mascariñas of Tagbilaran
and Bishop Manuel Yap of Bacolod as co-consecrators. The Most Reverend Jose Ma.
Cuenco, Archbishop of Jaro, was homilist.

On the day of his Episcopal Consecration, the new Bishop Camomot unveiled his
“coat of arms” which was explained thus:

It bears on the chief the Carmelite arms, indicating that Bishop Camomot, as having
been the Prior of the Tertiaries in Cebu, is connected with that glorious and ancient
Order.
On a green hill there is a tree bearing the “cabcaban”which supports a red flaming
heart.
The green hill points out the probable etymological origin of the Bishop’s family name:
Camomot, i.e.: “Cami” and “Moto”— Boholano for “hill”, the combination meaning
therefore: “We are atop a hill”.
On the dexter canton appears the nimbed “Hand of God”, from which seven tongues of
fire are directed towards the flaming heart.

The plant on the tree is the “cabcaban” from which the Bishop’s town — Carcar —
derives its name. It is a fern with sword-like leaves, used as a decorative hanging
plant…
The red flaming heart, taken in relation with the Hand of God, expresses the etymology
of the Bishop’s baptismal name — Teofilo. “Theophilus”, which comes from the Greek
“Theou” meaning God and “Philos” meaning “he who loves” or lover, i.e. “Lover of
God”.The seven tongues of the fire just express the plenitude of God’s gifts to
“Theophilus”, viz. the Apostleship.

The announcement of Camomot’s appointment as Bishop came two months earlier,

just a fortnight after his birthday, through a papal letter sent by the Supreme Pontiff,
Pius XII. Its English translation read in part:

Pius, Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God, to Our beloved son, Teofilo Camomot
Bastida, who up to the present has been pastor of souls in the Archdiocese of the Name
of Jesus, appointed titular Bishop of Clysma and proclaimed Auxiliary to the most
distinguished Archbishop of the Church of Jaro, health and apostolic benediction. While
so considerable a number of men, in their disregard for the Divine Majesty and His
commandments, have slid headlong down the precipices of impiety and, enveloped in
error as they are, have done away with every form of religion, still, on behalf of a vastly
increasing number of men, Our heart, in beholding their living faith and charity, is
filled with great rejoicing.

Since such is the case in the district of the Archdiocese of Jaro, and since our venerable
Brother, the Archbishop of the same Church, needs a lightening of his own burdens and
assistance in the carrying out of religious affairs, it is Our mind to appoint you as
Auxiliary to this venerable Brother, that with the diligence, toil and piety, in which you
excel, you may earnestly help him… We choose and appoint you to the office of
Auxiliary to Our venerable Brother Jose Maria Cuenco, Archbishop of Jaro. We also
grant you all the honors and rights which belong to the office which has been given to
you; imposing upon you as well the burdens and obligations with which all others of
the same dignity are bound.
But in order that you may more fittingly perform the office entrusted to you, and with
the permission of the Bishop, to whose assistance you are being sent, to perform the
sacred rites with pontifical ceremony, it is Our resolve that You, beloved son, be raised
to the honors of the Episcopate, with the Church of Clysma assigned to you as Titular
See…

In bringing this letter of ours to a close, We admonish you, beloved son, to exercise the
truly great dignity of the Episcopate with a virtue equal to it. If you do this, there is
good reason to hope that a favorable outcome shall smile on all your undertakings,
and also that the benefits of the Christian faith shall flow upon the people entrusted to
your care.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter’s, on the twenty-third day of the month of March, in the
year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and fifty-five, in the seventeenth year of our
Pontificate.

On the evening before his Episcopal Consecration, students of the Colegio dela
Inmaculada Concepcion and St Theresa’s College feted Bishop Camomot with a
literary-musical program at the CIC Hall. The following morning, a throng of well
wishers gathered to witness the event itself at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral,
with all the pomp and splendor that accompanied such a significant event. Among
those present was his widowed mother, Angela Bastida Camomot, accompanied by
his siblings and their families. Also in attendance was his half-brother, Rev. Fr.
Diosdado Camomot, who played a pivotal role in inspiring Teofilo to enter the
priesthood.

Early the next day, on May 30, the new bishop held his first Pontifical High Mass at
the Talisay parish church. It was a bittersweet moment for both pastor and flock, as
it also signaled the end of Camomot’s memorable and productive term as their
parish priest. They all came to see him one last time, to be inspired by his modest
yet heartwarming preaching and to be blessed by his consecrated hands before he
moves to his new assignment in Iloilo.

(Such was the love and loyalty of the people of Talisay towards Bishop Camomot
that 53 years later, in commemoration of the Jubilee of Bishops in 2008, his former
parishioners put up a memorial for him in front of the Sta. Teresa Church bearing
the inscription: Buutang Pari, Maalagarong Kura, Masinati-ong Obispo. Translated
from Cebuano, it means “Virtuous Priest, Caring Pastor, Benevolent Bishop”.)

On Tuesday, May 31, Bishop Camomot arrived to a public reception in Iloilo, after
which he was brought to the Jaro Archdiocesan Seminary for another literary-
musical program. The evening was capped by a dinner hosted by Archbishop Jose
Maria Cuenco, whom he had been assigned to assist. The following morning, he was
presented to his new charge through a Pontifical High Mass at the Jaro Metropolitan
Cathedral, which was preceded by a formal procession from the seminary to the
church.

Despite the pomp and pageantry that came with his high-ranking appointment as
Bishop, a seat that dates back to an unbroken line of succession from the Apostles,
Teofilo Camomot remained meek and unassuming. Throughout his life, he preferred
to be called “Monsignor”, a traditional and less formal manner of addressing a
prelate of his office. He roamed freely amongst the poorest of the faithful, lived in
remarkable austerity and continued to give generously to anyone who asked. Even
his Episcopal ring was not spared from his acts of kindness. It was not uncommon
for his bishop’s ring to disappear from his finger and re-appear at a pawnshop,
following a plea by someone whose wife was in the hospital, who needed money for
to pay for his child’s tuition fees, whose family was being thrown out of their house
for unpaid rent and an assortment of other “emergencies”. Soon enough, it became a
common scenario for his office to receive a call from the local pawnshop owner who
would dutifully report:

“Nia na pud ang singsing ni Monsignor Lolong (The ring of Monsignor Lolong is here
again)”, as recounted by Msgr. Cristobal Garcia, who had worked with Camomot as a
young priest.

His pectoral cross was not spared either. In later years, His Eminence Ricardo
Cardinal Vidal, who succeeded Julio Cardinal Rosales as Archbishop of Cebu, would
recall at least two instances when he noticed that Monsignor Camomot was not
wearing his ring and his pectoral cross. “Did you pawn your ring and your cross
again?” he would ask the older priest, to which the cardinal would receive a non-
committal reply. Finally, he gave Camomot a new set of cross and ring, but with the
strict admonition that he should never again use them as collateral for his charitable
deeds.

With his approachable and mild-mannered ways, coupled with his evident piety and
compassion, it did not take long for the Cebuano bishop to gain the highest esteem
of both the religious and laity in Iloilo. One of his close friends, Msgr. Jose B.
Buenaflor of La Paz, remembers him with unconcealed reverence:

He was very obedient to his superior. He always obeyed whatever was the decision of
Archbishop Cuenco. He was a saintly man — devoted to prayer, to meditation, to
conversion. [He was] a serious person, [even] while mingling with other priests… He
was very charitable. Every time the poor went to him, he gave with all his heart. He
was very charitable especially with priests; he used to say that priests should be
helped. [He] was very firm in all his trials as a religious that he remained unshaken.
There was no pride from his mouth when he talked and he was not [a] show-off.

Monsignor Jose M. Gamboa, Vicar Forane of Jaro, echoes this recollection with a
string of superlatives:

As a bishop, he was very soft-spoken, very devout, very simple, very kind, very
industrious and very patient. I never saw him get angry. He was very humble — his
humility was extraordinary.

The saintly character of Monsignor Camomot was evident, even in the way he
interacted with the lay leaders whose religious organizations he supervised:

He was very sincere, dedicated, devoted, committed to his ministerial work,

compassionate, and prompt in doing all his work. He was… a very good evangelist,
making our meetings very congenial, sharing his joys and challenges, the pains and
trials in life for us to learn from, and to be more faithful and to trust in God.

Just like the Apostles whose succession he has been invested with as bishop,
Camomot was a staunch defender of the Catholic faith and many conversions have
been attributed to him. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he preached passionately about
the catechism of the Church, whether in the pulpit or in the privacy of people’s
homes during his regular visits. When accosted and challenged by non-believers,
however, witnesses claim that he never uttered a vile or angry word against his
opponents. He calmly responded to their assertions the best way he could with
clarity and grace. And when the debate became heated, Monsignor Camomot was
known to stomp his foot on the ground (as though, symbolically, to “shake the dust
off his feet”as Jesus had taught his disciples), then calmly turn around and walk
away.

Barely four years into his position as auxiliary bishop in Jaro, Bishop Camomot was
given a new assignment. On June 10, 1958, he was transferred to the Archdiocese of
Cagayan de Oro as Coadjutor Archbishop with the right of succession.Together with
the appointment, he was given the designation “Titular Archbishop of
Marcianopolis” and thus became the first and only Filipino to hold this titular see
which has been passed on since 1678.

The Diocese of Cagayan de Oro was canonically erected in 1933. On June 29, 1951,
through the Apostolic Constitution “Quo Philippina Republica” which reorganized
the ecclesiastical provinces in the Philippines, it became the first Archdiocese in
Mindanao. Its first Bishop — and later Metropolitan Archbishop — was His
Excellency Most Rev. James T.G. Hayes, SJ, who held office until the acceptance of his
retirement in 1970.26The esteemed archbishop was 70 years old, though still very
much active, when Monsignor Camomot was assigned to assist him.

The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro comprised two civil provinces, Misamis Oriental
and Camiguin, an island province to the north, and a town in Bukidnon.Monsignor
Camomot became the first diocesan archbishop assigned as pastor at the Sta. Rita de
Cascia Parish in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Founded in 1896, it was one of the
oldest parishes in the archdiocese, inspiring him to double his efforts in rekindling
the spiritual growth of its parishioners. Through his efforts, several religious
organizations were created, while existing ones (like the Legion of Mary and the
Catholic Women’s League) were reinvigorated. Among the new groups Bishop
Camomot initiated were the Paulinian Faith Defenders and the Carmelite Tertiaries
of the Blessed Eucharist (CTBE).

Looking back, some of his former Legionaries in Balingasag extolled his shining
virtues of humility and deep love for prayer:
Shortly after his arrival, he organized the Legion of Mary through a man named
Doroteo Misa. But later, beyond our expectation, the Archbishop himself came. The
first time it happened, we could hardly believe it… Here in our midst was the grand
Archbishop in his black prelate’s garb with a big golden cross hanging around his neck.
An awesome figure! (But) he walked and moved around always with downcast eyes. He
knelt down on the bare cement floor during the entire rosary, praying it fervently with
us. He listened quietly to the spiritual reading then he gave the allocutio (exhortation)
in a soft but clear voice. He stayed until the end of the meeting, giving us the final
blessing before leaving.
This was the regular scene in all the meetings he attended. He would always arrive
before the start and he would patiently stay during the entire time.

Chapter Four
Founder

During his term in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Monsignor Camomot occupied

himself with establishing various religious organizations and pious societies for
both men and women. Among these was the Carmelite Tertiaries of the Blessed
Eucharist (CTBE), which he officially founded in 1960. Throughout his life, Camomot
adhered to the charism of Carmel and constantly sought spiritual guidance through
the writings of the great mystics and reformers, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of
the Cross. It was not surprising that although he was a diocesan prelate, he desired
his “daughters” to walk in the way of Carmel.

Monsignor Camomot’s fateful encounter with the pioneering sisters happened after
mass on the afternoon of November 25, 1959 at the Parish of Sta. Rita. Four former
nuns, namely Mary Fatima Toong, Gertrude Rosales, Cecilia Palomo and Lourdes
Paclibar, together with aspirant Salvacion Jamilano, arrived looking for the parish
priest.

They desired to form their own congregation and were seeking the patronage of a
bishop. Without hesitation and with his burning zeal to spread the Gospel, he
accepted the group, believing this development to be the answer to his longtime
dream of founding a group of sisters that can help him in catechetical work and in
serving the poor.

They were soon joined by other sisters and were formally accepted on the Feast of
the Epiphany – January 6, 1960 — and were hence known as the Carmelite
Tertiaries of the Blessed Eucharist (CTBE) because most of the first sisters were
members of the Carmelite Third Order and their founder was himself once a prior of
Third Order priests.
Ready to grow roots, more women aflame with vocation were attracted to join the
pioneers. One of whom was Mother Asuncion Mendiola, who eventually became
their first Superior General. One of the pioneering sisters, Sr. Maria Cecilia Palomo,
TDM, recalls her initial encounter with their founder and the early days of the
group:

When we arrived in Balingasag in November 1959, we were welcomed by a young,

calm and dignified Archbishop Teofilo B. Camomot. With much joy, even if he was
still young, he radiated the image of a real father, the aura of a saint welcoming us.
In a short time, many young ladies answered the call to religious life through the
Carmelite Tertiaries of the Blessed Eucharist. Young and old joined the group. It was
his (the founder’s) holiness that radiated to the hearts of those ladies and had them
commit to serve God.

This marked how the virtues of the Archbishop magnetized people from all walks of
life. Young and old, rich or poor, people flocked to the Church and to the convent
asking for prayers, advice, counseling, or material assistance… While giving
conferences to us, he used to say that “no one who puts his hand to the plough and
looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God (Lk 9:62). Padayon (onward)! God will
provide.” Regardless of what happens, there was no turning back

The CTBE was first housed in an old convent recently vacated by the Religious of the
Virgin Mary. When the group was created, the Catholic Church itself was at the
threshold of change. In January 1959, three months after he was elected as Supreme
Pontiff, John XXIII announced his intention to convene the Council as it was time to
“open the windows of the Church and let some fresh air in”. This gave rise to what
we now know as the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II.

As an archbishop, Monsignor Camomot made frequent trips to Rome to attend

preparatory meetings. Later, when the working sessions commenced, he also
attended as Council Father in three of the four council periods. Thus he was an
“insider” who had personal knowledge and experience of the direction that Holy
Mother Church was taking under the reign of Pope John XXIII and subsequently,
Pope Paul VI. He foresaw the many changes that would create a huge and
irreversible impact on all aspects of ecclesiastical life, both for the lay and the
religious.

Initially, the CTBE conducted itself as a pious association of women engaged in

catechism, education and charitable works.In 1965, after coming home from one of
his trips to the Vatican, Monsignor Camomot gathered the sisters and asked if they
would like to move forward and be formed as a religious congregation. One of the
considerations he presented was that they would then be allowed to wear a habit –
a privilege not given to the Tertiary. Gaining their consensus, he later proceeded to
change the name of the group and called it the “Daughters of Saint Teresa” (DST),
after the famous Carmelite reformer, mystic and Doctor of the Church, Saint Teresa
of Avila, patroness of his former parish in Talisay, Cebu.
Because of Monsignor Camomot’s diligence, perseverance and his reputation for
holiness, membership of the DST quickly grew. Soon, it spread to other parts of
Mindanao like Bukidnon and Davao. However, after their founder resigned from his
post in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and returned to his native Cebu, the
congregation started to break up for a variety of reasons. For some, it was a
hesitation to leave the mission work they have begun in Mindanao; for others, it was
a strong resistance to adopting the changes brought by Vatican II in their lifestyle as
religious women.

Unfortunately, these conflicts began at a time when Monsignor Camomot was ill and
physically unable to attend to all the administrative and spiritual needs of the
sisters. He requested his nephew, Oscar, a newly ordained priest at the time, to help
in the formation and spiritual direction of the sisters, but not even the vigor and
enthusiasm of the young pastor could prevent the impending division. Chances are
that the same vigor and enthusiasm in the young priest, who had just returned from
studies in the US and was eager to apply what he had learned abroad, may have
even contributed in no small measure to the eventual breakup.

A kidney operation in 1968 left Monsignor Camomot weak and incapacitated.

Worried about his prolonged absence, he entrusted the DST nuns to Bishop Antonio
Fortich of Bacolod for his patronage and protection. By then, cracks in the already
shaky foundation of the new congregation had started to show. The first exodus
happened that same year, when a small group of sisters had been unable to attend
the DST annual retreat in Bacolod and instead, joined a renewal session given at the
diocese in Malaybalay. It was followed by the manifestation of their desire to
separate from the group, as they believed they were formed and prepared for
Mindanao missions.

In 1970, Monsignor Camomot resigned from his post as Coadjutor Archbishop of

Cagayan de Oro and returned to Cebu. The DST sisters accompanied him to his new
parish in Pardo, then later settled in a bigger convent in Valladolid, Carcar, where
their formation house still stands to this day. This signaled another split within the
group, with the former Superior General Mother Asuncion Mendiola and some 20
sisters choosing to remain in Bacolod to form their own congregation.
This pattern of dissatisfaction and division was repeated several times more until
ultimately, seven independent institutes branched out of the CTBE/DST root: the
Missionary Congregation of Mary (Malaybalay, 1970); Blessed Virgin Missionaries of
Carmel (Bacolod City, 1971); Sisters in the Rural Mission (Bacolod City, 1973); the
Teresian Daughters of Mary (Davao City, 1974); Missionary Sisters of the Holy
Family (Cagayan de Oro City, 1980); Missionary Institute of St. Therese of the Child
Jesus (Tagbilaran City, 1984), and the Teresian Missionaries of Mary (El
Salvador City, 1985).

One of the former DST nuns who witnessed this crucial period was Sr. Patrocinia
Labordo, BVMC, who shared her personal reflection of the separation in Bacolod
four decades later:
Amidst this upheaval and separation, Monsignor Camomot remained calm. He got
sick and when he recovered, he visited us in Bacolod and asked how we were
getting along. When we said that we were all right, he said it is okay with him too.
All the while, he was most prayerful, full of faith and hope. And I admire the way he
made 1970 — a time of upheaval in the Church because of Vatican II changes —
make him holy. What happened to his congregation was a cause of making a holy
person, with God’s help and the intercession of Mother Mary.

While his heart was sad and broken by the scattering of his beloved sheep, the
founder maintained his faith and optimism that the division happened for a greater
good. At a homily during mass in Valladolid, he was quoted as saying:
It is not easy to face great problems in life, especially if you take them alone by
yourself. But if you allow God to carry the Cross with you, then dili bug-at (it is not
heavy). Like for example, as the founder, it is painful to face the truth of the splits
that happened in our congregation. Pero(but) thanks be to God, He gave me this
reflection: Kana bitaw nga cakenga tam-is ka-ayo, kuninitan man sa hulmigas…
Kuninitan for good. (The cake that is sweet will always attract ants that will carry it
away… Carry it away for good.)

Cognizant of the conflicts that led to the division of the group, Monsignor Camomot
revitalized the spiritual life and formation of the remaining sisters. He also began
laying down the foundations for the Daughters of Saint Teresa to be recognized as a
diocesan congregation.

The founder’s efforts bore fruit in 1985, when the congregation was canonically
erected on October 15 – feast of St. Teresa of Avila — and received the Diocesan
Rights from Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, then Archbishop of Cebu. In its new constitution,
the Daughters of Saint Teresa (DST) followed a vision of being “consecrated women
of prayer and daughters of the Church imbued with the apostolic zeal of Saint
Teresa of Avila, giving witness through the Gospel for the sanctification of souls and
the reign of the mansion of God’s kingdom”. Its mission was to “serve the Church
through zeal for Catholic education, preferential love for the poor and option for
pastoral services”. Its seal bore the Carmelite shield with its cross and three stars,
inscribed with the popular quote from the famous saint of Avila: “Solo Dios
basta”— God alone suffices.

Such was the devotion of Monsignor Camomot to Carmelite spirituality that he

desired the Sisters to take to heart the spiritual counsel of St. John of the Cross
which he would often echo to them:

Endeavor to be inclined always:
not to the easiest, but to the most difficult;
not to

the most delightful, but to the most distasteful;
not to the most gratifying, but to the
less pleasant;
not to what means rest for you, but to hard work;
not the the
consoling, but to the unconsoling;
not to the most, but to the least;
not to the
highest and most precious,
but to the lowest and most despised;
not to wanting
something, but to wanting nothing..
Do not go about looking for the best of temporal things, but for the worst, and, for
Christ, desire to enter into complete nudity, emptiness, and poverty in everything in
the world.

As the example of his life had shown clearly and without a doubt, Monsignor
Camomot embraced mortification not as self-abnegation for its own sake, but as a
struggle towards perfection. It was self-denial that was purposely undertaken to
develop his self-control and willpower. A deep and reflective thinker, he was
fascinated at the human being’s (often untapped) ability to free its mind from the
limits that have been imposed on it, to break away from bad habits and to form new
and virtuous ones. Spiritual discipline was not about just choosing what is the most
painful, difficult or tiring as it was about developing the habit of self-control, of
doing what is opposite to your earthly nature and, for the religious, bending your
will to the advice of your confessor or superior.

In one of the Sisters’ retreats, their pious founder admonished them:

Be ye perfect as Christ is perfect with the Father. Where is He to perfect you? He is

the captain of your soul, senses, mind, will, heart and whole self. To make Him able
to function in you, (it) needs unconditional surrender of your whole self, otherwise
you cannot do anything.

True enough, the DST continued to flourish with a long chain of missions, varied
apostolate, and numerous vocations even after the founder has returned to his
heavenly home. In 2001, over a decade after Camomot’s demise, the congregation
held a General Chapter where — under the guidance of Bishop Antonio Rañola — its
charism was reformulated:

In following Christ assiduously on the Teresian spirituality and orientation, we the

Daughters of St. Teresa strive to develop an intimate union with God through active
contemplation. Essential to our religious life is the practice of a preferential love of
the poor, zeal for Catholic education, and eagerness for pastoral services.

In 2003, His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal encouraged the congregation to apply
for pontifical recognition — a task to which the then Superior General, Mother Rosa
Magapan, immediately responded to. More importantly, following the signs of the
times that called for healing and reconciliation, representatives from the eight
branches of the DST initiated discussions and meetings that would pave the way for
a “homecoming” that would be participated in by the sisters who trace their roots to
the founding work of Monsignor Camomot.

The three-day grand reunion eventually took place from October 12 to 15, 2006,
with the DST sisters in Carcar serving as hosts. During the event which was filled
with tears and cheers, these selfless missionary sisters realized that while the
unfolding of the past opened up painful events that happened during the most
challenging periods of their religious life, these events must also be recognized as
God’s will for the life and development of their respective congregations. And that
they are challenged to overcome past hurts and move on towards celebrating the joy
of togetherness and showing their gratitude to the pillars who provided the
foundation for their lives as religious.

As the lines from the Vita Consecrataadvice all who chose the consecrated life:
You have not only a glorious history to remember and to recount, but also a great
history still to be accomplished! Look to the future, where the Spirit is sending you
in order to do even greater things.

Today, the Daughters of Saint Teresa has communities all over the Philippine
archipelago, where sisters are engaged in Catholic education, catechism, pastoral
formation, parish assistance and social work. They continue to toil under the
inspiration and spiritual gaze of their founder, whose crypt can be found at a small
mausoleum within the grounds of their Mother House in Valladolid, Carcar, Cebu.

Chapter Five
A Saint Among the Living

Often, it is difficult to read into the mind of such a reserved and contemplative man
as Archbishop Teofilo Camomot. He was not a brilliant orator, but his homilies were
always filled with sage advise and sincere paternal counsel that people lost track of
time when listening to him preach. His knowledge of the Catholic faith was deep and
expansive, and his defense of it so vigorous and full of ardor that he gained many
converts to the church, as well as renewed the fervor of those who have lost their
enthusiasm. Even among priests, he was acknowledged as a sympathetic and caring
spiritual director who helped many of his brothers in the diocese to take the straight
path and turn away from the road to perdition. To this day, all those lives he touched
sing paeans to his extraordinary piety and charity. Yet he was never known to
attribute any of these accomplishments to himself. His generosity was matched only
by his humility.

Among the meager possessions he left behind are several breviaries — their
yellowed pages mostly dog-eared and wrinkled from overuse. From these we can
glean a few insights on how Monsignor Camomot fortified his mind through the
verses that he read and submitted to memory. He habitually underlined or marked
passages that attracted him and sometimes even scrawled notes on whatever empty
spaces were available.

In one of his breviaries, he highlighted the following lines from a sermon by Saint
Augustine on the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time:

Let us then follow Christ’s paths which he has revealed to us, above all the path of
humility, which he himself became for us. He showed us that path by His precepts,
and he himself followed it by his suffering on our behalf. In order to die for us —
because as God he could not die — the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The
immortal One took on mortality that he might die for us, and by dying put to death
our death.

Similarly, we find in the same breviary another heavily marked portion, this time
from a letter attributed to Barnabas:

But to us [God] says: Is this not this that I demand of you as a fast — loose the fetters
of injustice, untie the knots of all contracts that involve extortion, set free those who
have been crushed, tear up every unjust agreement. Share your food with the
starving; when you meet a naked man, give him your clothing; welcome the
homeless into your house.

If what he reads offers us a window to how he thinks, then we can see that he
followed these words to the letter, and on some occasions, even to the extreme.
Throughout his earthly life, Monsignor Camomot was fabled for his simplicity and
austerity. He was not an ambitious man but rose within the ranks of the church by
virtue of his dedication to service and by the holiness that attracted countless
people to return to God. Even after he was elevated to the position of bishop, he
never used his office to accumulate earthly comforts for himself or to assert
authority in a pompous manner. He continued to live frugally in the parish convent
and went around his official functions riding a scooter or a service utility vehicle.
When well-meaning friends or colleagues offered to buy him a new car, the good
Bishop always replied:

If I drive around in a fancy automobile, what right will I have to beg for help for the
poor?

An interesting — if somewhat radical — example of his selflessness can be found in

an anecdote recounted time and again among his friends and followers:
Fr. Fulton Varga, now assigned in Santander town, was head of the altar boys in
Carcar when Camomot was parish priest there in 1976.

Varga related an incident when Camomot and his driver were robbed on their way
back to Cagayan de Oro City from Bukidnon after administering the sacrament of
confirmation.

Believing that they were carrying with them the stipend… a man boarded their
vehicle and proceeded to rob them.

“The stipend is supposed to be remitted to the Chancery of the archdiocese, but

(Camomot) did not bring it. He had left it with the parish priest,” Varga said.And so
the only things the robber could get from Camomot were his shoes and the P20 in
his wallet. Then the robber got down from the vehicle.

The driver wanted to hightail it out of there, but Camomot instructed him to back
up.Camomot called the robber and gave the robber his Episcopal ring, saying,
“Akong singsing, bulawan man ni, pwede na nimo i-baligya.(My ring is
made of
gold. You can sell this.)”The cross and the ring were pawned by the robber in
Cagayan de Oro. Pawnshop personnel recognized the items and returned them to
Camomot.
He had very few personal possessions and even divested himself of these with no
hesitation. Whatever is given to him would pass quickly from his hands to the next
needy person who knocked on his door or pulled at his sleeve. While he was always
neat and dignified in appearance, closer inspection would reveal that hidden under
his crisp, white sutanawere his threadbare undershirts and worn-out shoes.

(Cardinal Vidal personally recounted how, upon Camomot’s untimely demise, he

had to send for a new set of shoes and ecclesiastical vestments as funeral clothes
that befitted his rank because everything the good bishop owned was tattered.)
He was also the epitome of meekness. Never was it known that he jousted
forposition or favor. Neither did he use his rank to claim power — even when it was
rightfully his. Very few prelates who rise to the status of Archbishop would resign
that position and — as coadjutor — deny himself any claim to right of succession,
especially after waiting for over a decade to assume this important station. But this
is exactly what Monsignor Camomot did when he left Cagayan de Oro barely a year
before Archbishop Hayes retired. While the official reason for his resignation was
his failing health, manyindividuals close to him continued to speculate over the
years that there may have also been some internal conflicts that influenced that
decision. Whatever the real reasons were, Camomot prudently and discreetly
brought them to his grave. No one can recall that he ever complained or bemoaned
his fate. He accepted everything with grace and inner strength.

His attitude on dealing with temporal power and material wealth can be gleaned
from these lines he wrote in a homily for a priestly ordination:

So be convinced to always pray and meditate. Do not desire the happiness of the
world; you can have all the homes that God will give you but no one should ever
possess you because you belong only to God. To constantly pray will make you
meek, humble and patient. You can face all spiritual problems, you can heal the
wounds of the soul, and you can become worthy to go up to God’s altar and offer the
sacrifice. Then from God, you go down to God’s people to bring His mercy,
forgiveness and hope, and your heart will be filled with God’s flame of love that you
may always be ready to teach, to forgive, to console and to bless. That is the mission
of the priest, God’s priest of the only true, one and Catholic Church here on earth.
Upon returning to the Archdiocese of Cebu in 1970, the 56-year-old Camomot was
assigned as an auxiliary to the archbishop, His Eminence Julio Cardinal Rosales, and
was appointed parish priest of the historic Santo Tomas de Villanueva Church in El
Pardo, Cebu City — the only bishop to assume this position at the parish. His
charisma and rapport with the parishioners were evident since there are documents
attesting to the fact that the parishioners of El Pardo had petitioned the Archdiocese
for Monsignor Camomot (and his assistant, Fr. Roberto Alesna) to be retained in the
parish.
There he stayed for six years, until the chancery found it opportune that he served
his hometown of Carcar once again. He returned to the Parish of St. Catherine of
Alexandria in 1976. His priestly ministry had come full circle. It was there, among
his family and friends, that he spent his twilight years.

On February 14, 1976, Cardinal Rosales assigned Monsignor Camomot as Vicar

Forane of the Vicariate of Sta. Teresita, with the expressed duty 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”.
Five days later, on February 19, another official letter was received from the
Chancery of the Archdiocese of Cebu. It read:

Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, D.D.

Parish Priest of Carcar
Your Excellency:
Desiring to fulfill in the highest degree my duties to all the faithful committed to my
pastoral care, and being unable to perform all those varied duties by myself, I have
decided to appoint you as my Vicar General, ad beneplacitum nostrum [at our good
pleasure] according to canon 366, to take part in my pastoral vigilance and
solicitude.

With this appointment, I commit to your charge 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. I request you
to discharge faithfully your duties without consideration of persons and to observe
secrecy within the limits and to the extent determined by law or by me.

I reserve to myself those affairs which require a special mandate according to the
Code of Canon Law, except to allow marriages of conscience. I also reserve to myself
to grant dispensations from the matrimonial impediments and the impediments of
sacred orders.

Kindly exercise your powers as Vicar General according to the mind, intention and
will of the Bishop.I hereby grant you all the faculties, privileges, honors and
precedence which are given to a Vicar General by law.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Julio R. Cardinal Rosales
Archbishop of Cebu

Now 62 and with his naturally frail constitution weathered by years of asceticism,
discipline and hard work, Monsignor Camomot spent the last 12 years of his life in
ever deepening contemplation, even while he diligently observed the
responsibilities assigned to him not only in the archdiocese (where he was re-
appointed Diocesan Consultor by the new archbishop, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal), but
also in looking after the spiritual and temporal needs of the Daughters of St. Teresa,
which was rapidly gaining strength in number and building new communities in
various parts of Visayas and Luzon.
Moreover, the purity of his conduct and the rigor of his prayer life have seemingly
transformed Camomot into an almost ethereal presence — a virtual saint living
amongst men. As he strengthened his interiority, the light that shone within him
became ever more palpable to those who basked in the comfort of his presence. In
those final years, there were even testimonials on his ability to heal the sick, to
exorcise evil spirits, to levitate, and even to bilocate. One such testimonial states
thus:

During a retreat at the Holy Family Retreat House where they shared a room, Fr.
Varga recited the usual dawn prayers with the archbishop and went back to sleep
after laying out a floor mat for Camomot to do his meditation on. However,
something unusual woke him.

Varga said it seemed like their room glowed.

Pagliso nako, naa na siya sa ibabaw nako, he said. (When I turned around, I saw that
he had levitated and was already floating above me.) More than 15 minutes he was
floating in the air. Little by little, ninaog iyang body, until nibalik siya og higda, Varga
said. (His body descended until he was lying back down on his mat.) I witnessed it
many times said Varga.

On another occasion, the same priest and former assistant witnessed how
Monsignor Camomot had apparently been able to be in two places at the same time,
or what is commonly called “bilocation”:

On Sept. 27, 1985, Camomot and Varga were set to go to Seminario Mayor de San
Carlos in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City for St. Vincent de Paul’s feast day.A woman
met them on their way out and asked that Camomot administer the Anointing of the
Sick on her father in the mountain barangay of Bolinawan, Carcar.Camomot said he
would go in the afternoon upon returning from the seminary. When they got back,
the woman was waiting for them.

She thanked Camomot, saying: “Akong amahan, ma-ayo na. Pagbiya nimo ganina,
nibangon na si Papa (My father is well now. After your visit earlier today, Papa was
able to get up from bed already).”Varga said Camomot just laughed and said, “Sige,
pag-ampo lang gyud mo didto(All right, just keep praying). A puzzled Varga asked
him, “How could you have gone there when we have just arrived from the seminary?
Camomot reportedly replied, “Ayaw lang pagsaba(Don’t tell anyone)..
But what could be more convincing than a testimonial from a Prince of the Church
himself ? No less than His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who was Archbishop of
Cebu at the time of Monsignor Camomot’s final years, executed an affidavit to attest
to the saintly bishop’s gift of bilocation:

We authenticated his presence at a Cebu meeting of archdiocesan consultors,”

Cardinal Vidal recalls. “Camomot was at my left, and Archbishop [Manuel]
Salvador—discussing the diocese’s pastoral (thrust)—at my right. I said:
‘Monsignor, you have to vote’. But a woman claims that at that time, Camomot was
on a mountain (in Carcar) giving the last sacraments…
.
Furthermore, his blessing and absolution as a confessor were much sought after by
his brother-priests — apparently, even at their deathbed. Testimonials attest to this
one last act of mercy, which he sometimes provided in such an extraordinary
manner:

Some mornings, the secretary [Fr. Varga] recalls, he’d be asked by Camomot to
include a name in the Mass memorial for the dead of that day. Usually, it would be a
priest, from Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo or Bukidnon (dioceses Camomot previously
served).

Late afternoons, their office would receive a telegram informing them of the priest’s
death. Asked how he learned, Camomot would say: “Dinhi man nako.
Nikumpisal(The priest came to me to confess)..

Monsignor Camomot was well aware of his own mortality and somehow knew
intuitively how the final chapter of his life was coming to a close. Two days before
his demise, he intimated to his assistant, Fr. Fulton Varga, how he wanted to die:
A quick but painful death… Quick so that no one would have to suffer; painful so that
with the pain, the sins we committed here on earth would be immediately paid for.

Chapter Six
Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant…

Whenever he was in Cebu City, Monsignor Camomot made it a point to visit his alma
mater, the San Carlos Major Seminary. He usually went there on September 27 —
feast day of St. Vincent de Paul who was the founder of the congregation that used to
run the school before it was turned over to the diocese.Having spent much of his
formative years as a young adult under the care of the Vincentians, it is not
surprising that his own inclinations towards social justice and love for the poor
were galvanized by the example of this saint. In one of his feast day homilies,
Monsignor Camomot stressed:These two religious organizations founded by St.
Vincent de Paul [Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Congregation of the Mission]
comply perfectly [with] the desire of the heart of St. Vincent — to relive the poor of
their physical and spiritual needs.

We may have no gift and talent as versatile as those of St. Vincent de Paul; nor can
we possibly cover a mission field in the extension that he envisioned in his days. But
one thing that likens us to him — we are all children of God. As children of God, we
shoulder the responsibility to carry the love of God in our hearts — to love him with
all our minds, with all our strength, to love him more than anything the world can
offer us. Let us be possessed of a fervent heart that can be easily softened, a heart
that can easily feel a love for the Blessed Sacrament, before the Cross and before the
Blessed Mother… and charitable to the less privileged and poor.
On that fateful Tuesday — September 27, 1988 — Monsignor Camomot’s mission on
earth was destined to reach its completion. As customary, he went to San Carlos
Seminary for the annual festivities. After lunch, he decided to head back to Carcar,
which was about an hour’s drive away going south. Cardinal Vidal had tried to
persuade the elderly bishop to stay on and take an afternoon nap, but Camomot said
that he needed to hurry back to celebrate mass at his parish. Besides, he told the
cardinal, it shouldn’t be a problem because he brought a driver with him.
By 2pm, the tragic news spread like wildfire throughout the province of Cebu —
their beloved “Monsignor Lolong” died in a road mishap along Sitio Magtalisay in
Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu. The bishop’s service vehicle rammed against a
passenger bus; the driver escaped unharmed but his passenger was killed instantly.
Camomot was 74.

The entire province mourned his passing. At his wake, people from all walks of life
lined up patiently and reverently to pay their last respects — from the highest
officials of the province and the archdiocese, to the farmers and laborers he served
and cared for throughout his life. His funeral was one of the biggest anyone in Cebu
has ever seen. Thousands of disconsolate mourners lined the streets and flocked to
the parish church for the 10 a.m. concelebrated mass led by Cardinal Vidal, along
with over a dozen bishops, monsignori and priests of the archdiocese.

Monsignor Teofilo Camomot’s body was laid to rest at the Catholic cemetery at
Carcar on October 5, 1988 — a priest for 46 years and of these, a bishop for 33.
Eternity has to begin in the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth,” he once wrote in his
diary, “with Christ the Eternal King as our Head, leading us to Heaven. Eternity has
to begin in the heart of Man… Be eternal with Christ in your soul.

Epilogue
In life and in death, he performed amazing miracles. (Sirach 48:14)
Soon it became apparent that the memory of Monsignor Camomot’s virtues, his
values and his truly wonderful deeds would not be easily forgotten. His body may
have passed away but the goodness he had sown remained fresh and alive among
those who loved him, like a sparkling stream of water that refreshed their tired and
weary souls. Faithful parishioners and followers would flock to his tomb each day,
pouring out their worries and anxieties, asking the holy confessor for his
intercession, even asking him for miracles of healing or of providing for their
everyday needs. In death, as in life, people came to their beloved “Monsignor
Lolong” because they knew he would never turn them away or let them leave
empty-handed. Death only brought him closer to God, and they felt assured that
their prayers would not be in vain.

To those who have experienced the bounty of his love and compassion, Camomot
was already a saint. Yet few were prepared for the turn of events that would occur
just two decades later.
The year 2009 marked a joyful milestone for the Daughters of Saint Teresa, as it was
finally recognized as a religious institute of Pontifical Right on July 16, feast of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel. At the same time, the congregation was poised to celebrate
its Golden Jubilee since its original inception as the Carmelite Tertiary of the Blessed
Eucharist in 1960. Naturally, the Sisters wanted to share these jubilant occasions
with their founder, so they sought permission to transfer his mortal remains to a
small mausoleum they had constructed within their convent grounds in Valladolid.
To everyone’s surprise and awe, they found his body still intact!
Twenty-one years after his death, Sr. Esterlita Lauros said they were expecting to
transfer the bones of their founder to their convent. They only had a box with them
during the proceedings, so they had to hurriedly look for a new casket. Msgr. Garcia,
Archdiocesan Commission on Worship chairman, said the remains were transferred
to the new casket. “The old casket, we had to certify every piece. Cardinal Vidal had
to seal every piece,” he said.

“We had to identify his remains; we had to change his vestments. The coffin was
transferred to Carcar where the whole tomb was resealed,” he added.
The coffin of Msgr. Lolong was wrapped in a red cloth, and Cardinal Vidal sealed it
using his ring. The burial site is at the Mother House of the Daughters of St. Teresa in
Barangay Valladolid in Carcar.

The other contents of the original coffin were collected and are now in the
safekeeping of the nuns. These items include the flowers, the dirt and others.
This miraculous discovery, coupled with copious testimonials and his own personal
knowledge of the late bishop’s virtuous, prayerful and charitable life, inspired
Cardinal Vidal to pursue what was to be one of his last major undertakings before
his retirement: he took the initial steps to work towards the beatification of
Archbishop Teofilo Bastida Camomot.

A two-page petition prepared by the Daughters of Saint Teresa detailing the account
of Camomot’s life, ministry and virtues was personally delivered by Cardinal Vidal to
the Vatican and submitted to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints. On September 2010, the Archdiocese of Cebu was granted by the Holy See
permission (nihil obstat or “no impediments”) to begin the diocesan process for
beatification.
The following month, Vidal convened an Archdiocesan Commission that would
conduct an investigation into the life and works of Camomot. Its initial members
were: retired Bishop Antonio Rañola (Instructor and Episcopal Delegate); Msgr.
Dennis Villarojo (Postulator); Msgr. Raul Go (Promotor of Justice); Fr. Jesper John
Petralba (Notary); Ms. Trinidad Calleno (Adjunct Notary), and diocesan tribunal
members Msgr. Guillermo Gorre, Msgr. Marnell Mejia, and Fr. Patricio Ornopia
(Theological Censors); Msgr. Cayetano Gelbolingo, Fr. Marvin Mejia, and Fr. Ramon
Fred Ofredo (Historical Experts). Representatives from the Daughters of Saint
Teresa were Rev. Mother Esterlita L. Lauros, DST (Liaison Officer) and Sr. Irene C.
Macaraya, DST (Secretary of the Commission on Plenary Sessions). Subsequently
appointed to the Commission were Fr. Vito Jumao-as Jr., Fr. Reynaldo Cui and Mr.
Trizer Mansueto for Historical Matters, and Fr. Glenn Therese Guanzon and Fr. Elvin
Miraflor for Theological Matters.

The first Diocesan Inquiry (or Diocesan Tribunal) opened on December 27, 2010.
Aside from investigating the merits of Camomot’s life, the tribunal is tasked to seek
and authenticate at least one miracle that can be directly and unquestionably
attributed to his intercession.

The Commission would be following the prescribed Church procedures that are
implemented by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Vidal said the Congregation of the Saints investigates the life and virtues of the
candidates and then recommends them to the Holy Father.
“In the diocesan commission, we examine the life and ministry of the candidate. Then
we examine the possibility of a miracle. After that, when we have finished it, we close
the process and bring that to Rome,” he said.
Rome begins its own investigation. Then a group of international medical experts
would conduct its own probe, to see whether our examination was fair. Then the
College of Theologians, then the Pope,” Vidal said.

During the Commission’s meeting on August 14, 2012, Bishop Rañola suggested that
they put up a guild or an association that can help promote the cause of beatification
of Archbishop Camomot. This group will be composed of men and women who
really knew him and whose encounter with the archbishop left a great impact on
their lives. In response to this advise, the group “Mga Higala ni Teofilo” (Friends of
Teofilo) was created, comprised of priests, religious, and lay people who continue to
find inspiration in the life and pastoral ministry of the late archbishop. The
members also pledge to commit themselves to prayer, as well as to perform acts of
compassion and service, as their way of emulating and living out the heroic virtues
of this Servant of God.

Throughout his mission on earth, Archbishop Teofilo Camomot had only one desire:
the salvation of souls. He worked tirelessly to imitate Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in
caring for those under his pastoral supervision. Likewise, he mirrored the zeal and
ardor of the Apostles in preaching, defending and evangelizing about the Catholic
faith, thus converting scores of non-believers and renewing the faith of the lapsed.
He never raised his voice in anger, but was merciful to the poor and the oppressed.
His selfless dedication in attending to the needs of his parishioners and of fellow
priests was known to and admired by all. The only hours he kept to himself were
those spent kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament, in intimate and silent
communion with his Beloved.

Many would recall how Monsignor Camomot would often ask the people around
him: “Do you know where God is?” And when they hesitated to answer, he would
smile with paternal understanding and gently remind them: “God is in the heart.”

Without a doubt, Teofilo Bastida Camomot walked the path of sanctity with the
presence of God always in his heart… Just as he was — and will always be — present
in the heart of God.

Appendix B

I first met my uncle, Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, in April 1971 at the El Pardo
Parish Rectory in El Pardo, Cebu City. My mother – who was his first cousin —
requested him to be my benefactor in my seminary studies since I had already
finished one year of Philosophy at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, Leyte.

Without much ado, he said “yes”, but under the condition that I would belong to the
Archdiocese of Cebu so that he can be with me and guide me accordingly. Since then,
we became practically inseparable until I was ordained a priest in 1978. And even
when I was already a priest, he always visited my parish. He was truly a father figure
to me, especially since I lost my own father at the age of 13.

What are the things that I cannot forget about Archbishop Teofilo Camomot?

First of all, his humility and simplicity of life. In the way he dealt with his
parishioners, he never projected the image of a lord, a king or a man of a power.
Instead, he exemplified the image of a humble servant of God. For instance, despite
his position, he would ride a motorbike or drive around in a dilapidated vehicle to
visit his parishioners. Comfort was never in his lifestyle. He simply enjoyed what
was served and offered to him as he visited the most remote villages of his parish. At
times, he even walked through rough terrain and dirt roads, without a single
complaint coming from his lips.
He was a man of God because he was a man of prayer. Prayerfulness is a lifestyle
trait he was very consistent and faithful about. He seemed to be in a 24-hour,
unending communication with the Lord. His spiritual “recharging” came from God
during those prayerful moments. The more time he spent on his personal prayers,
the more energized he became. His pastoral zeal to serve is drawn out from prayers.
He was an icon of God’s love made visible. Charity is at its highest level in him. He
was exceedingly generous towards the marginalized. His heart was all for the poor,
in whom he saw the suffering, hungry and sick Christ. He gave everything he had to
the poor. He even pawned or sold whatever few precious things he had in his
possession in order to help the needy souls that came to him for help. He was indeed
the epitome of God’s love and forgiveness.
He embraced poverty of life as a way of living out the evangelical
counsel. Poverty, for Archbishop Camomot, was to possess God and to be possessed
by God. Christ was everything to him — his greatest treasure. If everything you have
is Christ, then you have everything. His spirituality of stewardship allowed him to
share his blessings and live a simple life according to his basic needs. You would
never see him in possession of any expensive or luxurious items, and even when he
sometimes received these as gifts, he gave them away immediately. He lived and
died poor, so that the lives of others may be enriched by his poverty.
He had a pastoral zeal to serve unselfishly and faithfully. It was amazing to see
an archbishop of his age who never said “no” to any sick call or confession. He even
welcomed being assigned to say mass in a remote barangay rather
than in the parish church. He visited his parishioners riding his motorcycle and was
untiring when the call for pastoral responsibilities demanded his presence. For him,
the call for salvation for him was a 24-hour moral and pastoral obligation to be
responded to.
He was a loving father to his DST community. He displayed the shining examples
of paternal affection and concern in shepherding his sisters. He was always available
to lend his hand or his ears to any concern that demanded his paternal presence and
counsel. This benevolent leadership in shepherding and witnessing inspired his
religious community to be formed according to the heart of the Master Jesus, and
shaped according to the heart of its beloved founder, Archbishop Camomot.
Indeed, his aura of holiness and examples of virtue are his legacy for people to
imitate and live out in their daily lives. My own priestly vocation is an example of
Archbishop Camomot’s generosity made visible. I had learned to internalize his
ways of charity and generosity. How I wish that by one way or another, I can reflect
God’s love upon the faithful by imitating the
life of Archbishop Camomot.

If there is something that people miss most about him, it is this: An archbishop who
breaks bread and empties his pockets for the poor that they may be full and rich by
God’s generosity and love, and a pastor of the church who is always available and
reaches out towards the poor, the sick and the abandoned in need.

REV. FR. RAMON FRED C. OFREDO

Appendix D

Sworn testimonial of Mr. Teogenes C. Belleza, Sr., 92 years old, from Dumlog, Talisay
City, on the pastoral ministry of Archbishop Camomot, his commitment to the poor,
and how much he was loved and supported by his parishioners:

1. After Sunday mass, Monsignor Camomot usually visited the houses of people who
were sick and brought medicines for them.

2. If he was free after his parochial obligations, he visited the families (at home) —
especially of the poor — and brought them food and anything needed for the
household.

3. All the people who were in need flocked to the convent, where they were given
medicine, food, money. And if he ran out of things to give them, he looked for things
offered to the altar that these people could use, including materials that were
offered to make tablecloth for the altar.

4. Parishioners who can afford to share usually donated to Monsignor Camomot in

cash or in kind to help him provide for those who sought his help.

5. People who came to visit him were also given copies of prayers or novenas to be
said daily.
6. He always encouraged parents to teach their children how to pray.

7. Monsignor Camomot usually gave the needy all the money he had in his pocket,
dividing this equally among them.

8. Personally, Monsignor Camomot was very close to my parents and he visited my

family almost everyday after his round of home visitations. He was even the one
who accompanied my family to ask for the hand of my future wife (following the
Filipino tradition of “pamanhikan”).

9. When he was named Archbishop in Cagayan de Oro city, many parishioners from
Talisay went all the way from Cebu to Mindanao just to witness the ceremony.

10. Wherever he was assigned in the different places of the Philippines, he always
wrote to me on his different activities.

11. Even when he was assigned to other towns, if the people of Talisay knew he had
a project, they would send him their help.

TEOGENES C. BELLEZA, Sr.

Dumlog, Talisay City

ARCH. TEOFILO B. CAMOMOT, D.D.

In 1943, he was appointed parish priest of Sta. Teresa Parish in Talisay, Cebu. He
lived a simple and austere life. Before celebrating mass he visited all the sick
parishioners while attending to their needs. On March 26, 1955, he was named
Titular bishop of Clisma and auxiliary bishop of Jaro, Iloilo.

Bishop Teofilo B. Camomot was born in Cogon, Carcar, Cebu on March 3, 1914 to
Luis and Angela Bastida. He was the third child of eight children and was baptized
on March 4, 1914 and confirmed on August 22, 1915. He dedicated himself
wholeheartedly to his seminary formation at the Seminario de San Carlos in Cebu
City.

 YEAR 1940
On December 15, 1940, he was ordained a priest and was appointed assistant to
different parishes.

 YEAR 1959

In 1959 he became co-adjutor Archbishop (c.i.s.) of Cagayan de Oro and appointed

parish priest of Sta. Rita, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Here he founded the
Carmelite Tertiaries of the Blessed Eucharist (CTOBE), presently, the Daughters of
Saint Teresa (DST).

 YEAR 1968

In 1968, he had kidney surgery and had to take rest. He resigned as Co-adjutor
Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro on June 16, 1968, went back to Cebu in 1970, and
became auxiliary of Julio Cardinal Rosales who appointed him parish priest of El
Pardo, Cebu City.

 YEAR 1976

On February 19, 1976, he was named parish priest of Carcar, Cebu, his hometown
while also serving the archdiocese in other areas of responsibilities.

 YEAR 1988

On September 27, 1988, he died on his way back to his parish in a vehicular accident
at San Fernando, Cebu.

The Servant of God, Archbishop Teofilo B. Camomot had chosen God above all others
and made a definite commitment to God. He was a man of prayer and was filled with
love of God and neighbor. Known of his Christian holiness, he extremely put into
concrete actions the Christian values of “giving” even to the extent of having nothing
in his pocket. He was so dedicated to God that people flocked to him seeking refuge,
financial assistance as well personal and spiritual direction and consolation. He is a
priest and archbishop who lived a simple and humble life and consistent in prayer.
He was exceptionally generous that others could hardly understand and
comprehend the kind of charity that he had. He was also known of his smiles in all
moments of his life. REV. MO. MA. LOUELLA GRACE L. BUSCATO, DST
Superior General