Push Admin

'Prayer warrior': Filipina catechist eyed for sainthood

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

Filipina catechist Laurena Franco, who has become a candidate for sainthood, was known as a &quot;prayer warrior&quot;.The Vatican recently cleared the way for an inquiry into the cause for sainthood of Franco, <span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;--darkreader-inline-color:#bfb9b1;--darkreader-inline-bgcolor:#181a1b;display:inline !important">known as &quot;Ka Luring.&quot; Franco served St Michael Parish in Taguig City as a catechist, and also attended to the poor and sick for decades.She succumbed to ovarian cancer on October 11, 2011 at age 75.<div> <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/10/vatican-gives-go-signal-for-inquiry-into-sainthood-of-catechist-ka-luring-1918" id="isPasted">Vatican gives go-signal for inquiry into sainthood of catechist &#x27;Ka Luring&#x27; </a></div>Patrick Pula, a volunteer in the “Cause for Ka Luring,” said Franco had a reputation for being an intercessor for those undergoing difficulties such as health issues.Now, people who visit Ka Luring’s relics in a dedicated room in Pasig Catholic College flock to these spots to pray.“Kasi yung mga prayers po coupled with sacrifice po. May isa kaming na-interview. Ang sabi po ni Ka Luring, pag meron pong nagdadasal, kailangan mong samahan ng sakripisyo para ma-grant yung prayers. Ang kanyang pagsa-sacrifice naman po is yung pagpa-fasting,” Pula explained.(Because prayers should be coupled by sacrifice. That’s what Ka Luring told one of the parishioners. And each time that she offered a prayer, she also did fasting.)<div> <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/5/23/carlo-acutis-set-to-become-first-millennial-saint-1923" id="isPasted">&#x27;Influencer of God&#x27; Carlo Acutis set to become first millennial saint </a></div>The eldest in a brood of eight who worked as telephone switch operator at the Philippine Air Force, Ka Luring resigned in 1969  after successfully sending her siblings to school.She then began her personal dream to attend to the sick and the needy even up to the days where she was already suffering from ovarian cancer.“Kahit nasa ospital na sya sa PGH, kasama nung mga pari saka nung mga madre na pumipila para dumalaw sa kanya, yung mga mahihirap. So, ang gagawin daw po nya ay tatanungin nya ang mga tao na yun dahil kilala nya, kung may pagkain ba sila, may pamasahe ba sila? Tapos ang gagawin nya, ipammigay nyo yung binigay ng mga dumadalaw sa kanya,” Pula said.(Even when she was already confined in PGH, poor people lined up along with the priests and nuns who visited Ka Luring. And there, she would still ask her indigent visitors if they have food, if they have money. And she would give them everything that was given to her by her visitors) “Gusto niya talagang maging madre. Kaya lang hindi kinaya dahil nga po, mas pinili nyang tumulong sa pamilya,” he added.(She wanted to become a nun, but she failed to pursue that dream because she had to support her family.)In February, Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara opened the “Cause for Ka Luring,” with a mission to gather stories and evidence detailing the late catechist’s selfless acts for the poor and the needy. The research also includes scouting for stories about reported miracles that happened through Ka Luring’s intercession. All these documentations were later on submitted to the Vatican, along with the petition to declare Ka Luring as a saint.<div> <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/4/15/could-this-13-year-old-girl-be-the-next-filipino-saint-1841" id="isPasted">Could this 13-year-old girl be the next Filipino saint? </a></div>The Vatican has released a “nihil obstat,” a Latin term which means “nothing stands in the way” for a formal inquiry.Catholic priest Fr. Francis Lucas, CBCP Director for Broadcast Media, said having three Filipino saints will mean that the Filipino faithful will have an additional intercessor in heaven.He quickly added, however, that the journey to sainthood will still take time before it can be finally achieved because all evidence and testimonies for the nominee will still have to be investigated by the causes of saints.At least two miracles for those who prayed for the late catechist must be attributed to Ka Luring, Fr Lucas said.“Sa imbestigasyon dun meron dung pakialamero na totoo ba yan, ganun-ganyan, manunutil... hindi lang physical miracles, yung mga ginawa nya. Tinitingnan din dito lalo na yung sa milagro, kasi maari ring untheological, yung labag sa paniniwala at alituntunin ng simbahan... yung blessed ang milagro napatunayan na,” Lucas pointed out.(In the investigation, there will be critics belittling the veracity of the submitted documents.  They also check if the submitted supposed miracles were theological miracles and are not against the teachings of the Church.)<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/02/20/influencer-of-god-typical-teen-who-was-into-video-games-is-on-the-road-to-sainthood" id="isPasted">‘Influencer of God’: Typical teen who was into video games is on the road to sainthood </a></div>Lucas urged the faithful to document their received miracles from Ka Luring if ever there is to help her back.“Kung may kinalaman ka doon sa person na ina-appeal natin for sainthood, kumilos ka. kung nangangailangan sila ng additional support, suportahan mo lalo na kung kilala mo nga... pag nakatanggap ka ng miracle kahit hindi mo sya kilala, nakatanggap ka ng blessing,” he said.(If you have a knowledge about that, that you also received a miracle through Ka Luring, extend help, additional help.) He added that Catholics can also help by offering prayers for Ka Luring’s successful nomination to sainthood. Ka Luring was the first woman lay minister in the Archdiocese of Manila. - report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

Filipina catechist Laurena Franco, who has become a candidate for sainthood, was known as an "effective prayer warrior".

Filipina catechist Laurena Franco, who has become a candidate for sainthood, was known as an "effective prayer warrior".