They have known each other for 29 years, and for good reason! Mildred Camacho, a Peruvian woman born in Piura (a city in northern Peru) and now the mother of two children, was baptized when she was only a few months old, 29 years ago. And her godfather, her “padrino,” is none other than Leo XIV, the current pope!
A missionary priest in Peru
Then-Father Robert Francis Prevost spent many years as a missionary in Peru. There, he led a very active and highly appreciated pastoral and priestly life. Among his parishioners and close collaborators at the time were Héctor Camacho and his wife Roxana Dioses.
The couple, who were active in their parish in northern Peru and close to their parish priest, didn’t hesitate to ask Father “Roberto” to be their daughter Mildred’s godfather when she was born in 1996. The priest naturally and joyfully replied that he was “very honored,” and even touched, as his own mother's name was also Mildred.
Since then, the priest, who became a bishop and then a cardinal, has always kept in touch with his goddaughter by letter, never forgetting to celebrate her birthdays or send her a little money from time to time!
“Even when he left for the Vatican, he never stopped writing to me,” Mildred said emotionally to the camera of the private Peruvian channel Canal N.
The journalist asked her when she last saw her godfather. "In August 2024, before going to Rome, he came to Chulucanas (a town 40 miles from Piura where the family now lives, Editor's note) and met the whole family. He gave us his blessing, greeted my daughters, and remembered everyone!” his goddaughter said.
Surrounded by her parents, she laid out all the photos from her baptism on the table. Her father, Hector, added that he had recently received a WhatsApp message from the current pope simply saying, ”Thank you and blessings, Hector."
Needless to say, the family is proud, happy, and above all very moved by what they consider to be a “historic event” that has touched them so deeply. As for Mildred, she still can hardly believe that her godfather has become pope!
But she makes it clear that he will always be welcome in their home and that she can't wait for him to come back and see them all in “the North.”
“Papa, padre, padrino” — by then, she'll have figured out how to address him!
