ROME, Italy— The Congregation of for the Causes of Saints in Rome has granted the decree of validity on the documents submitted for the cause of the late Cebu Archbishop Teofilo Camomot.
As if to mark the start of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons, the decree was issued recently, signaling the start of the “Roman phase” of the prelate’s process for Beatification and Canonization.
Together with the Causes for Beatification and Canonization of the Bishops Alfredo Obviar and Alfredo Verzosa, the cases of these three Filipino bishops are now all under the auspices of the CCS.
Simple lifestyle, love for the poor
Camomot was born on March 3, 1914 and was ordained priest of the Archdiocese of Cebu. He was made Auxiliary Bishop of Jaro on March 23, 1955. Three years after, he was named Titular Archbishop of Marcianopolis and Coadjutor Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro.
The archbishop is respected for his simple lifestyle and love for the poor and also reputed to possess spiritual gifts of healing, reading hearts, bilocation and levitation. He founded the Daughters of St. Theresa in 1960.
Camomot died in a car accident on September 27, 1988. 21 years after his death, his body was found incorrupt at its exhumation.
The late archbishop’s Cause for Beatification and Canonization was introduced by the Archdiocese of Cebu and the “Nihil Obstat” was issued by the CCS on August 20, 2010. The diocesan inquiry was closed on March 2, 2017 and the documents were submitted to the CCS immediately after.
On November 9 of this year, the CCS has granted the Decree of Validity.
Servant of God, Alfredo Obviar
The Cause for Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Alfredo Obviar was introduced by the Diocese of Lucena and the CCS granted the “Nihil Obstat” (Nothing hinders) to the Diocesan Inquiry of his Life, Fame of Sanctity and Heroic Virtues on March 6, 2001.
After four years, the Decree of Validity was issued on April 27, 2007 marking the start of its “Roman Phase”.
In 2014, the “Positio” was submitted and the review of Theologians was concluded in early 2017.
The Cause of Obviar is awaiting the judgment of a team of Cardinals to issue the Decree of Heroic Virtues for Pope Francis to declare him “Venerable”.
Servant of God, Alfredo Verzosa
The Cause for Beatification and Canonization of Former Lipa Bishop the Servant of God, Alfredo Verzosa, was opened on January 11, 2013 at the St. Paul Cathedral in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
The “Nihil Obstat” was granted by the CCS on November 17, 2014.
The Diocesan Inquiry was closed on April 2, 2016. After a year and two months, the CCS granted the Decree of Validity on June 2, 2017.
As the Philippines is four years away from the celebration of the Quincentenary of its evangelization, it is a hope that a great gift from above is the inclusion of more Filipinos in the Canon of Roman Catholic Saints. CBCPNews
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