For over a year since he submitted his resignation in accordance to church law, Camacho said his level of energy is no longer the same.
He had a lung surgery in May 2008.
The official announcement of the Pope’s acceptance of Camacho’s resignation was made on April 6 at noon, Rome time, which was 9 p.m. on Saipan.
The bishop tendered his resignation on Sept. 23, 2008, five day after he celebrated his 75th birthday.
With the acceptance of Camacho’s resignation, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples named and appointed the Very Reverend Father Manuel Reyes Concuera, former vicar general, as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.
The cathedra, or bishop’s chair, will be vacant until Camacho’s successor is appointed.
Concuera, in an interview, said Camacho will remain as “bishop emeritus” of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa.
“Bishop Camacho is grateful to the Holy Father for accepting his resignation and is looking forward to being able to focus his attention on regaining his health during his upcoming operation and attending medical tests,” the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa said.
When asked what would be his role in the church now, Camacho said he will continue “to report to the church superior if I can be of help.”
He said he wants to “have a long rest,” and continue with his translation of the Bible into Chamorro.
On Monday, Camacho said he called for a meeting with the island’s clergy and the personnel of the diocese so he could tell them about his official retirement.
“The ladies were teary-eyed especially my secretary,” Camacho said, referring to Lolita Babauta, who worked for him for almost 33 years.
“She’s very faithful and I thanked her for her service,” he said.
Camacho also thanked the media for being “so cooperative in information dissemination to the public” regarding church matters.
He urged the faithful to give Concuera the same loving support and cooperation that they have given him as bishop of the diocese for over 25 years.
Concuera said during the meeting with Camacho and the rest of the clergy, it was the first time in his 23 years of service in the CNMI that “my hands were shaking and cold.”
“Everything about the church in the CNMI and the Catholic faith is now my primary responsibility,” he said.
Camacho said he was informed that a new bishop will most likely be appointed by the Pope by the end of the year.
The new bishop will also come from the Pacific region, he added.
