A HUMBLE man arrived at the old airport way back in February of 1988, during the installation of Bishop Vicente Navarra as Bishop of Kabankalan and Bishop Nicholas Mondejar as bishop of San Carlos.
He was our guest in our old house in Lacson. My parents offered a room for the guest-bishops. He was the Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu. The man was the late Bishop Camilo Gregorio.
The family had a great time with him. He played the piano and sung songs with the family. He told the family that there is no other virtue greater than love. It was also the first time, I saw my father receive the sacrament of reconciliation. He listened very well to the advice of the good bishop.
Although my father was a religious man, he had a devotion to San Vicente Ferrer in Talisay. He knew many priests and was a friend of the late Bishop Fortich. But that was the first time I saw him receive the sacrament. I was also amazed at how he welcomed the bishop.
That time, I did not have much time to know Bishop Camilo very well, except for the formalities I had to afford to him being a seminarian. The bishop advised me to persevere and continue my vocation to the sacred priesthood. We parted with him giving me a blessing.
After the retirement of Bishop Fortich was accepted by the Vatican. Bishop Camilo Gregorio was appointed as the fourth Bishop of Bacolod on May 20, 1989. We again met and I was made as a commentator during his installation on July 27, 1989.
His Episcopal motto was “Servire in Caritate” or serve in love. His installation was a jubilee for the diocese. He sent a message of love to all the faithful of the diocese.
He was a person of prayer and gentleness. He would often give a listening ear to his priests and even to the seminarians. He was also strong on some issues affecting the diocese.
On October of ’89, I sought his permission to quit seminary training and he told me to follow what God wants me to be. He was not vindictive and again he blessed me in a way he did way back in 1988.
But as a human being, he was not perfect in everything. He ended his stint as Bishop of Bacolod on August 2000 as was assigned as prelate to the Prelature of Batanes.
Bishop Gregorio was one person whom one would learn to love for he radiates the love of God to the people he met. He was a friend, a pastor and a priest to all.
He now joins the ranks of our bishops praying for us in heaven-Bishop Casimiro Lladoc, Bishop Manuel Yap and Bishop Antonio Fortich.
Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace, Amen.