By Tim Rohr
Our friend, who fantasizes that he is our "nightmare," Lucio from Italy (but not really), is back. In a comment on BREAK FREE, LUIS. IT'S TIME, Lucky Lucio goes on about what a wonderful chap Bishop Camillo Ballin was and how he was so well-respected in the Vatican, etc., etc., etc.
Ballin, as you will recall, is the bishop who verbally slapped Chuck White for asking what Luis Camacho was doing in his diocese when Luis was an incardinated priest in Guam. Ballin snapped back: "He is now my priest."
You can see what Lucio has to say about it here and my reply here, if you care to. However, since Lucio wants to talk tough about Ballin, I thought now would be a good time to reshare Ballin's official announcement, dated June 25, 2016, to the whole Vicarate of Northern Arabia, for which Ballin was the Vicar, that Luis was absolutely innocent and a victim of our "lies and calumnies."
You can read the full letter here. The following is the relevant part:
...I was saddened receiving information that lately some individuals have spread, both in writing and by word of mouth, lies and calumnies about one of our priests who has served in our Church. In fact, some accusations against Fr. Luis Camacho have been divulged among our people. Because of this, in order to clarify the lack of any foundations for such rumors and accusations, even the Holy See has been forced to start an inquiry.
The subsequent deep and thorough investigation has reached the absolute certainty that “there is not a semblance of truth (fumus veri facti) to the accusation” made against Fr. Luis.
Contrast Ballin's June 25, 2016 letter with the letter from Luis' real bishop, Archbishop Ryan Jimenez, dated Dec. 11, 2025:
The Archdiocese of Agana has received official notification that on September 19, 2025, the Congresso of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith completed its review of the case involving Rev. Luis Venancio B. Camacho, who was ordained a priest for our Archdiocese on November 9, 2013. The Congresso confirmed that Mr. Camacho was found guilty of delicta graviora cum minore - grave offenses involving a person under the age of eighteen- and it upheld the penalty previously imposed: dismissal from the clerical state.
The Dicastery’s review included the 2015 arrest of then-Fr. Camacho, the canonical investigation that followed, and a subsequent petition for recourse that he himself submitted in an effort to have the penalties removed and to be restored to priestly ministry.
Following the canonical investigation, a Penal Decree was issued on May 6, 2025, finding Rev. Camacho guilty of delicts contra sextum, meaning violations of the Sixth Commandment (sexual misconduct) committed with a minor, and imposing the penalty of dismissal from the clerical state.
Yet, in 2016, Ballin told us that the Holy See had cleared Camacho with "absolute certainty." Once again, none of this makes any sense unless you know who you're dealing with: THE NEOCATS.















