Rome approves Camomot Positio

CEBU, Philippines —  The Congregation of the Causes of the Saints in Rome has approved the Positio for Archbishop Teofilo Camomot about four months after it was submitted to Rome in March.

The 522-page Positio summarizes the heroic virtues of the Cebuano prelate. It contains testimonies of 45 witnesses, written documents related to Camomot, the archbishop’s official biography, and synthesis on why Camomot should be declared as Saint of the Catholic Church.

"The weakness of God is when we kneel down in prayer. We really thank the Lord that after four long years of preparing the documents, the Positio of our founder, Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, God has now granted our prayers," reads the statement of Mother Superior Loulella Grace Buscato of the Daughters of Sta. Teresa (DST), the congregation that Camomot founded.

"I would like to thank the team of DST sisters who worked with me in working on the documents and those who have helped us in one way or another," Buscato said.

Buscato also thanked Fr. Mhar Balili who has been on top of the cause for Camomot’s sainthood since day one and Father Samson Silloriquez, the postulator of the cause, for his support and guidance during the work on the Positio and for submitting the final documents to the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in Rome.

With the approval from the congregation, the Positio will now be forwarded to the cardinals who will vote whether or not to continue the cause. If they vote in favor of the sainthood, they will recommend to the Pope to declare Camomot as "Venerable" or that he lived heroic virtues.

Once declared "Venerable," it will need one miracle for Camomot to be declared as "Blessed" and another one to be declared as "Saint".

"Perhaps, in two months, the theologians will study it then the bishops and then the cardinals and finally the Pope," Buscato said.

Buscato hopes that Pope Francis will make a favorable pronouncement before Camomot's 107th death anniversary on September 27.

"His proclamation as Venerable is the most precious gift to our congregation's Diamond Jubilee Celebration (60th Founding Anniversary) this year," she added.

Buscato thanked the pilgrims and devotees for their support and asked for continued prayer for the canonization process.

"If there would be any healing or favors received through the intercession of Archbishop Camomot, please do inform the DST sisters," Balili said.

Buscato said Camomot being declared "Venerable" will be a gift to the Catholic Church for its centenary in 2021.

The cause for Camomot's sainthood started in 2015. He is known for his generosity, love for the poor, for living a simple life, for being prayerful, and for healing the sick.

Camomot was born on March 3, 1914 in Carcar City, Cebu.

He died in a vehicular accident in San Fernando town, also in Cebu, on September 27, 1988 while on his way home to Carcar. JMO (FREEMAN)