Niña Ruiz Abad (October 31, 1979 – August 16, 1993) was a young Filipino Catholic girl remembered as “the girl who always wore a rosary”. She is being considered for canonization.
Nina Ruiz Abad Wikpedia
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Portrait of Niña Ruiz Abad, circa 2024 |
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| Born | 31 October 1979 Quezon City, Philippines |
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| Died | 16 August 1993 (aged 13) Quezon City, Philippines |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Sarrat Public Cemetery, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte (1993–2024) Church of Santa Monica, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte (2024–present) |
Nina Ruiz Abad’s Early Life
Abad was born on October 31, 1979, at Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City to a lawyer couple from Sarrat; however, her father died when she was three years old. She was baptized at Santo Domingo Church on March 15, 1980. She has one sibling.
Nina Ruiz Abad Education
She went to nursery at the University of the Philippines Child Study Center in Diliman, Quezon City, and kindergarten through grade two at Holy Angels Montessori School in the same city.
In April 1988, her family moved to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, where her mother, Atty. Corazon Ruiz Abad was appointed chief hearing officer of the Department of Justice’s Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems.
She graduated from Mariano Marcos State University Laboratory Elementary School as a top student.
She later spent her high school years at Mariano Marcos State University Laboratory High School and, one year later, at the School of the Holy Spirit in Quezon City.
Nina Ruiz Abad Spiritual life
Abad was identified with “a strong devotion to the Eucharist and devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images, and other religious items”.
Her strong Catholic faith, inherited from her pious mother, served as an inspiration to many people in Ilocos Norte and Quezon City. Bishop Mayugba underscored Abad’s popularity because of her faith, saying.
Do you know Niña Ruiz Abad? The answer would be, ‘That’s the girl who was constantly wearing a rosary. The little girl who enjoyed praying. The girl who loves God so much.
Abad had diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 1989. On August 16, 1993, she experienced a heart attack at school. She was brought to the hospital, where she eventually died.
Her remains were interred in Sarrat Public Cemetery. Her bones were unearthed on April 6, 2024, and moved to the baptistery of Santa Monica Church in Sarrat. On April 17, 2024, her tomb was exposed to the public.
Nina Ruiz Abad Beatification process
Three decades after her death, and with the permission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag launched the beatification process for Abad, citing her as a “good model of piety and fortitude” for modern Filipino youngsters.
Mayugba secured Bishop Roberto Gaa’s authority to transfer the competent forum to the Laoag diocese, which was also accepted by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
On March 10, 2024, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints authorized the opening of Abad’s cause. According to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the issuance of the nihil obstat is one of the early phases of a cause.
On April 7, 2024, Mayugba and the postulator, Dennis Duene Ruíz, OAD, chaired the inaugural session of the diocesan tribunal’s official and public investigation at Laoag Cathedral about the beatification process.
According to the CBCP, Niña’s mother, sister, cousin television journalist Jay Ruiz, cousins, and God First Association members attended the “video reenactment of Abad’s life and the unveiling of her official portrait”.
Mayugba designated Noel Ian Rabago as an episcopal delegate, Englebert B. Elarmo as justice promoter, and Rey Magus Respicio as a notary.
Nina Ruiz Abad A Saint in the Making
When Father Danny Pajarillaga, a Catholic priest, first met Nina in 1993, he immediately saw that she was unique. She stood out among her contemporaries because of her fervent belief in the Eucharist and commitment to prayer. Although Nina tragically passed away from her illness at the young age of 13, her inspirational spiritual legacy lives on today.
Nina Ruiz Abad The Road to Sainthood
By designating Nina Ruiz Abad as a saint, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has made a tremendous advancement. The CBCP granted the Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba’s request to launch the cause for her sainthood during their 126th plenary meeting.
Nina Ruiz Abad A Life of Devotion
Nina showed a degree of dedication that was uncommon and amazing for someone so young. She devoted her life to providing religious supplies including rosaries, Bibles, and prayer books, and had a profound devotion to the Eucharist. Nina was a walking testament to piety and religion, always dressed in white and with a rosary around her neck.
Nina Ruiz Abad A Prayerful Journey
Her deep ties to God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Blessed Virgin Mary left a lasting impression on Nina’s life. She demonstrated how a strong faith can mold a person’s character by embracing prayer and worship with reverence.
Nina Ruiz Abad A Life Cut Short
Nina was born on October 31, 1979, in Quezon City, where she spent her formative years with her devoted mother, “Attorney Abad.” The family relocated to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, following the tragic loss of her father when she was three. Nina’s faith remained unshaken despite receiving a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosis at the age of 10, moving back to Quezon City, and beginning a new chapter in her life.
Nina Ruiz Abad The Push for Modern-Day Saints
The Catholic Church’s effort to recognize contemporary Filipino saints includes the cause for Nina’s sainthood. This change in emphasis strives to demonstrate examples of faith and devotion that speak to Catholics in the twenty-first century, emphasizing that becoming a saint is possible even in the commonplace facets of modern life.
Nina Ruiz Abad The Path to Sainthood
The Church honors persons who lived honorable lives and made major contributions to the faith, despite the arduous and drawn-out process required to be declared a saint. To become a saint, Nina must undergo a careful examination of her life and virtues as well as the verification of miracles credited to her intercession.
Nina Ruiz Abad An Inspiring Legacy
A generation of Catholics has been motivated by Nina Ruiz Abad’s life to grow in their faith and live a life of piety. Her life continues to touch the hearts of many people. Her narrative serves as a source of inspiration and an invitation to everyone to live a life rooted in prayer and devotion as her cause for sainthood advances.
Conclusion
Nina Ruiz Abad’s life served as an example of how faith can overcome obstacles. She is an outstanding role model for the young and for all Catholics because of her persistent devotion to God and her commitment to prayer. Her story will continue to inspire and have a profound influence on countless lives as her path to sainthood progresses.
