CBCP: 13-year-old Filipino girl eyed for sainthood

A 13-year-old Filipino girl is in the process of potential sainthood after the approval of bishops during an episcopal conference in the Diocese of Kalibo, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Niña Ruiz-Abad, who died at 13 due to a heart disease in 1993, had showed strong devotion to the Eucharist, the CBCP said. She also distributed rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images, and other religious items.

“During her time, it is unusual that a young girl had already done acts to evangelize others,” a CBCP article quoted Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag as saying.

It was Mayugba who requested the bishops to open the sainthood cause of Abad.

“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,” Mayugba said.

With the bishops’ approval, the formal investigation of her life will start. The initial stages cover gathering information about the candidate and interviewing witnesses who knew Abad.

The CBCP said it may take years before a possible decision from Rome regarding Abad's beatification and canonization.

Abad was born and grew up in Quezon City but her family transferred to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte in April 1988.

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, the CBCP said.

Due to a change in her mother’s work assignment, she was transferred during her second year of high school to the College of the Holy Spirit in Quezon City in June 1993, it added.

On August 16, 1993, she had a heart attack while at school and was rushed to the hospital. She eventually passed away.

Abad’s remains were laid to rest at a public cemetery in Sarrat, according to the CBCP. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News