THE Vatican has allowed the Diocese of Laoag to proceed with an inquiry on the sainthood cause of Filipina teen Niña Ruiz-Abad, a report by CBCP News said yesterday.
The grant of the “nihil obstat” (nothing stands in the way) by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints for the start of the diocesan inquiry is among stages in the Preliminary Phase of a Cause, said the CBCP News, the official news agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba announced the grant.
“Lí¦tare! (Rejoice!) to the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the diocese, as the Vatican judged that nothing stands in the way of the diocesan inquiry into the life of sanctity and heroic virtues of the ‘Servant of God,’” CBCP News quoted Mayugba.
With the “nihil obstat” now at hand, Mayugba said, the beatification and canonization cause of the 13-year-old will be officially opened, with the first session of the tribunal specially convened for this purpose on April 7 at the St. William’s Cathedral Church in Laoag.
CBCP News said Abad devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images, and other religious items. It also said her unwavering faith inspired people in Ilocos Norte and n Quezon City.
Abad was born on Oct. 31, 1980 to parents from Sarrat, Ilocos Norte but grew up in Quezon City. Her father died when she was just three years old.
At the age of 10, she was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is an incurable heart disease.
In April 1988, her family transferred to Sarrat, after her mother became the chief hearing officer of the Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems of the Department of Justice.
Abad graduated elementary at the top of her class and proceeded to have her first year of high school at the Mariano Marcos State University Laboratory School.
After her mother’s work assignment changed, she transferred during her second year of high school to the College of the Holy Spirit in Quezon City.
On Aug. 16, 1993, Abad suffered a heart attack at school and passed away later on at the hospital.
Abad’s remains were brought to Sarrat. She was laid to rest at the town’s public cemetery.
The “God First Association” petitioned the Diocese of Laoag for the launch of the sainthood bid for Abad. It was eventually approved by Mayugba.
Last July 2023, the CBCP agreed to support Abad’s cause for sainthood.
