At this time of Eucharistic Renewal, it is important that we have holy people who give us example of great love for Jesus in His gift to us with His Body freely given.
The
Vatican has granted permission to initiate an investigation into the potential
canonization ofNINA RUIZ-ABAD, a 13-year-old native of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte in
the Philippines.
Nina died in 1993 at the age of 13 due to a
cardiac disease. Her great devotion to the Eucharist is what
sets her apart from others her age.
Bishop Renato Mayugba, who had a close relationship with Nina,
spoke about her with reverence and wonder. “That’s the girl who always wore a
rosary. The girl who loved to pray. The girl who loved God so much.” The path to sainthood is normally
not an easy one. According to Vatican rules, five years must pass after a
person’s death to begin the process, allowing emotions to subside and
objectivity to prevail.
The Congregation for the Causes
of Saints then thoroughly scrutinized the evidence of her holiness in her life,
scrutinizing every aspect of it. If approved, the Pope would designate her as
“venerable,” starting off the journey of beautification.
Niña was born Oct. 31, 1979, in Quezon City on Luzon island. Her parents were lawyers, but her
father died when she was only 3 years old. She grew up in Quezon City along with her sister, Mary Anne.
She attended school at the Child Study Center of the University of the
Philippines and later at the Holy Angels Montessori School, both in Quezon
City.
Her mother, a devotee of divine mercy, moved with her daughters
to Sarrat, 300 miles to the north of Quezon City, in April 1988 to work at the
Department of Justice. Nina started high school at Mariano Marcos State University High
School in nearby Laoag CIty.
When Father Danny Pajarillaga met Nina in 1993, he immediately
noticed her great love for the Eucharist and that she prayed a lot. She
was known to distribute rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, and holy cards in her
neighborhood and at school.
“She was a walking testimony of piety and religion. She was
always dressed in white and with a rosary around her neck,” those who knew her
recalled.
At the age of 10 Nina was diagnosed with hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy and lived with the disease for three years with great faith and
joy.
“Niña’s life was one of prayer, adoration, and an intimate
relationship with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Bishop
Mayugba said.On Aug. 16, 1993, she suffered cardiac arrest while she was at
school and was immediately taken to the hospital, where she died. She was
buried in a public cemetery in Sarrat and her grave is now a pilgrimage site.
“Today, children and young people are inspired by the life of
Niña Ruiz-Abad to live a life rooted in prayer. Her story continues to reach
the hearts of many people because it is an example of how with God obstacles
can be overcome,” the Philippine Bishops’ Conference stated.
