The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints issued the "nihil obstat" (nothing stands in the way), on February 5, 2024, authorizing the Diocese of Laoag, in the province of Ilocos Norte, to initiate a local inquiry concerning the reputation and holiness of Nia Ruiz-Abad.
"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,” said Bishop Renato Mayugba of the Diocese of Laoag in his letter “Lætare!” (Rejoice!) to the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the diocese.
He said that with this permission, the diocese could start the probe, as he is the right person to do so under the diocesan process.
After gathering much support from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines at its meeting in July 2023, Mayugba submitted a full biography of the candidate to the Vatican dicastery, requesting permission to commence the investigation.
The Prelate then announced that on April 7, 2024, Divine Mercy Sunday, the first official meeting of the tribunal will take place for the Beatification and Canonization Cause of Abad.
The public can witness the session at St. William's Cathedral Church in Laoag.
As the diocese waited for the official opening day of the Cause, the bishop sought prayers from the faithful: “Pray for God’s blessing as we embark on this process.”
According to a report from CBCP News, Niña Ruiz-Abad, the young girl from Sarrat, demonstrated a profound devotion to the Eucharist and devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images, and other religious items.
Her unwavering Catholic faith made her an inspiration to a great number of Catholics in the Ilocos Norte province, as well as in her community and school in Quezon City.
Abad passed away at the age of 13 in 1993 from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an incurable cardiac disease. - Leahna Villajos
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