Bishop Camacho submitted his letter of resignation yesterday, his 75th birthday, to Pope Benedict XVI. <\/p>\n
According to Canon law, Camacho is required to turn in his resignation on his 75th birthday and wait for a response from the Vatican. <\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that time I felt like I had gotten married and had to start my own family,\u201d he said. \u201cThere 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reverend Monsignori Brigido Arroyo, who has known Camacho for 60 years, said the two of them would often encourage each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe pray together,\u201d he said. \u201cWe always try to build each other up. We talk shop, always how can we serve better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Camacho has done many things to help the Diocese, including translating the Bible into Chamorro, Arroyo said. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
To close out the day, a dinner fundraiser was held at the Saipan World Resort\u2019s Royal Taga Hall. Proceeds from the dinner tickets will go to the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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