Channel of God’s Kindness

CEBU, Philippines —  When anyone was confronted by animosity and opposition, Archbishop Teofilo Camomot would advise “not defend yourself and to just be quiet.” Instead of bearing a grudge or hatred against others, the prelate extolled Christ’s forgiveness and called on people to do good regardless of the situation they are in. He continued to be unselfish and generous to those in need.

Zenaida Paninsoro, a member of the Legion of Mary in Carcar, who accompanied Archbishop Camomot for several years, related: “I remember an instance when someone sold to him a chicken. He bought it. But afterwards, he saw the seller carrying the same chicken and was resold to another person outside the convent. Monsignor just said “Never mind, he needs more money. He didn’t bear any grudge to anyone, including one acolyte who reported to him that the collections were taken by someone. Monsignor just told him, ‘He needs it very much. If you like, you may also take home some money from our collections.’”

Panisoro also told another story: “There was also an incident when he wished to bring a sick person to the hospital but he didn’t have any money. While [Monsignor Camomot] was at the sacristy, he took an image of the Sto. Niño and embraced it tightly. Then he stretched out his arms in prayer. After two hours, a Chinese arrived and gave him an envelope. The Chinese told him, ‘Nyor, I have something to share because I just disposed a house.’ Monsignor instructed me to count the money inside the envelope. It was P10,000. After the donor had left, the sick person arrived and we brought him to the hospital.”

Panisoro herself was a beneficiary of Camomot’s generosity. “When I needed money badly, Monsignor also helped me pay the bills after I gave birth at the hospital.”

Gliceria Ibones, a catechist at St. Catherine de Alexandria Parish, also witnessed Camomot’s kindness to people. The prelate, she said, also taught her to be productive and to serve God’s kingdom amid their poverty.

“One noontime, someone broke his leg during a road accident in Carcar. But the hospital rejected the victim because he had no money to pay the bills,” Ibones recalled. “The victim was brought to our house. Monsignor, who happened to be at our house, wrote something on a small piece of paper and gave it to the victim. When the victim showed the note to the hospital, he was immediately treated.” For herself,  “there were times when I arrived in our house and our table was already filled with food. He’d sometimes leave money in the house of anyone who was very poor.”

“Monsignor was loving, generous, prayerful, humble, and merciful,” Ibones continued. “He supplied my scarcity. Early on, I refused to handle catechism classes in school, because I didn’t know how to read and write. My mother could not afford to send me to school. But Monsignor didn’t want me to remain as I was – he taught me how to read and write. He was very good at teaching. He was a perfect example of how to treat people who lack knowledge. He taught us that we don’t own our life but God. He said it was God who chose us. He told me to talk to God, who never ceases to listen to my prayers.”