Camacho resigns from CK Diocese

Bishop Camacho submitted his letter of resignation yesterday, his 75th birthday, to Pope Benedict XVI.

According to Canon law, Camacho is required to turn in his resignation on his 75th birthday and wait for a response from the Vatican.

A biography about the Bishop was also launched yesterday in conjunction with his birthday. In From Goatherd to Shepherd of the Flock, author Jess R.A. Sonoda tells Camacho’s story from being a young boy to his tenure as the first Bishop of the CNMI. A gallery displaying artifacts depicting the history of the Church in the CNMI dating from pre-World War II to more recent years also opened at the Diocesan Curia.

In a speech yesterday, Camacho said he was nervous when Pope John Paul II divided the diocese and the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa and ordained him Bishop.

“At that time I felt like I had gotten married and had to start my own family,” he said. “There were nights when I prayed to the Lord to make me strong to face my new responsibility. I had to learn to be more independent from Daddy. Fortunately, my family grew very fast. My family became strong and responsible to the point that I can say, with conviction, one of my sons is ready to take over the household.”

Reverend Monsignori Brigido Arroyo, who has known Camacho for 60 years, said the two of them would often encourage each other.

“We pray together,” he said. “We always try to build each other up. We talk shop, always how can we serve better.”

Camacho has done many things to help the Diocese, including translating the Bible into Chamorro, Arroyo said.

In the afternoon, a diocesan-wide Thanksgiving Mass was held at the Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chalan Kanoa, with no less than the Archbishop of Manila, His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales, as homilist.

Priests from Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam were in attendance, together with all parochial and ministry teams, as well as various civic and public leaders.

To close out the day, a dinner fundraiser was held at the Saipan World Resort’s Royal Taga Hall. Proceeds from the dinner tickets will go to the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.

Camacho, the first bishop from the Northern Mariana Islands, has served his people for over 23 years as the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the CNMI.