That’s according to a pastoral letter issued Monday by Archbishop Ryan Jimenez.
The archbishop said he “acted in haste” last week in a letter that announced Camacho would be “laicized,” or no longer recognized as a priest, effective immediately.
Camacho has 60 days from Dec. 2 to appeal the ruling, Jimenez clarified Monday.
“The right of appeal has not expired, and Rev. Camacho fully intends to exercise his right to appeal to the Collegium of the Doctrine of the Faith,” he said.
Camacho left Guam in 2015, under canonical investigation, after being arrested and charged with custodial interference for allegedly taking a minor from school and engaging in a sexual act with her.
It came shortly after Camacho’s ordination as a priest on Nov. 9, 2013.
Camacho returned to Guam nine years later, in May 2024, but the archdiocese at the time said his priestly faculties were still restricted.
In a message last week, Jimenez indicated that the Congresso of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith completed its review of the case involving Camacho, and confirmed that he was found guilty of “delicate graviora cum minor” on Sept. 19.
The archbishop has stated he received authorization from the Dicastery on Nov. 5, 2024, to initiate an administrative penal process.
After a canonical investigation, a penal decree was issued finding Camacho guilty of delicate “contra sextum.” That means violations of the Sixth Commandment, or sexual misconduct, with a minor, the archbishop has stated.
That means “grave offenses involving of a person under the age of 18.”
But with the right of appeal still available, Camacho “is not dismissed from the clerical state while recourse is ongoing,” Jimenez stated Monday.
"I acted in haste and that my actions were not intended to cause any harm or scandal to Rev. Camacho, to his family or to the Archdiocese of Agana,” Jimenez said. “Meanwhile, we must wait in prayer for Rev. Camacho and for all of us that, after all the requirements of canon law are met, we accept the Holy Will of God.”
2015 arrest
According to archdiocesan records, Camacho was arrested on March 17, 2015, on Guam for custodial interference.
He resigned as pastor of San Dimas, Malesso’ and San Dionisio, Humåtak.
At the time, he was prohibited from hearing confession and restricted from celebrating Mass publicly. He was only able to celebrate Mass privately.
After Camacho’s 2015 arrest, then Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron sent him off-island to a priestly renewal program.
A year later, Apuron himself left Guam, after former altar boys started publicly accusing him of raping and sexually molesting them when they were minors. The Vatican had likewise opened a canonical investigation on Apuron.
A Vatican tribunal would find Apuron guilty of abusing multiple minors and after losing his appeal, he was stripped of his title and banned from returning to Guam.
It took until 2019, three years after accusers first stepped forward, for Apuron’s conviction and appeal to conclude.