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Philippine diocese eyes 13-year-old girl from Laoag for sainthood

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<div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/abscbnNEWS/posts/pfbid02tYVD6RfqMqL6Lq38bebZXAhYDx1K8WNJd3XEHXWihk6TQUpRAGQvTDpQnSa4NG3Hl" data-width="auto"> </div><p>A northern Philippine diocese has started the process of making a 13-year-old girl from Quezon City one of the youngest saints in history.</p><p>A report from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website said Niña Ruiz-Abad was just 13 years old when she lost her battle against hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart disease she was diagnosed with at the age of 10.</p><p>It said that while Abad lived a very short life, she left a major impact on people whose lives were touched by her deep faith in God and acts of charity. </p><p>The report described Abad as having had a &quot;strong devotion to the Eucharist and devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images, and other religious items.”</p><p>She was also known for always wearing a rosary around her neck and white dresses.</p><p>&quot;Ang ganda ganda ng early description sa ating latest candidate,&quot; Fr. Aris Sison, St John Paul II Parish Church parish priest in Quezon City, said in an interview on TeleRadyo Serbisyo. </p><p>The CBCP report said Abad was born in Quezon City to a lawyer couple from Sarrat, a town in Ilocos Norte province. She grew up in Quezon City along with her only sibling, Mary Anne.</p><p>Abad was only 3 years old when her father died. </p><p>In April 1988, the family transferred to Sarrat, where her mother became the chief hearing officer of the Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems of the Department of Justice.</p><p>She graduated elementary at the top of her class and then proceeded to have her first-year of high school at the Mariano Marcos State University Laboratory School.</p><p>However, due to a change in her mother’s work assignment, she was transferred during her second year of high school to the School of the Holy Spirit in Quezon City in June 1993.</p><p>In August 16, 1993, Abad had a heart attack in school and was rushed to the hospital where she died. Her remains were brought to her hometown in Ilocos Norte. She was laid to rest at a public cemetery in Sarrat.</p><p>Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag said that even at a young age, Abad had already done acts to evangelize others. “Niña’s life was a prayerful life full of reverence, worship and intimate relationship with God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and to the Blessed Virgin Mary,” he said.</p><p>He added the young girl could serve as “a good model of piety and fortitude” for the youth today.</p><p>Sison said there is a 5-step process to sainthood: first, a formal request is submitted to a special Vatican tribunal for an individual to be considered for sainthood.</p><p>In the case of Abad, it is the Diocese of Novaliches.</p><p>However, Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag obtained the approval of Bishop Roberto Gaa for the transfer of the “forum of competence” to the Laoag diocese, which was also approved by the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.</p><p>This opens the door to the formal investigation of Abad&#x27;s life and witnessing, which may take years before a possible decision from Rome regarding her potential beatification and canonization.</p><p>Beatification is the first step on the path toward sainthood and has in the past been reserved for three categories of people: martyrs, those who have lived a life of heroic values and others with a clear saintly reputation. Christians who tended to sick people with the plague who later died because of the disease can also be candidates for beatification.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/07/11/17/pope-francis-adds-new-pathway-to-becoming-a-saint">Pope Francis adds new pathway to becoming a saint</a></li></ul><p>A Catholic whose life and works are being investigated by the Vatican in consideration for official recognition as a saint is called a Servant of God. </p><p>Two Filipinos who have been listed as Servants of God are Laureana Franco (1936–2011), a Layperson of the Diocese of Pasig; and Darwin Ramos (1994–2012), a Layperson of the Diocese of Cubao. </p><p>&quot;Every step of the way after that, from Venerable to Blessed to Saint, doon kailangan ng milagro,&quot; Sison said. </p><p>The Philippines currently has 2 Filipino saints: Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, whose canonization was done in 1987, and Saint Pedro Calungsod, who was canonized in 2012. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/depth/10/15/12/calungsod-nameless-guam-death-marker">Calungsod nameless in Guam death marker</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2728789" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

A northern Philippine diocese has started the process of making a 13-year-old girl from Quezon City one of the youngest saints in history.