A video reenactment of Ruíz-Abad’s life was shown at the beginning of the session, offering attendees a short glimpse of the teen’s life of deep piety and love for God from a very early age. She was shown as a young child to be always engrossed in praying before the Blessed Sacrament, with her arms extended toward God, and was fond of distributing prayer cards and religious images, especially of the “Santo Niño” (“the Child Jesus” in Filipino), to her teachers and schoolmates. The video showed an unfazed girl who, when faced with the diagnosis of incurable heart disease, told her aggrieved mother: “Don’t worry, Mommy; it’s okay — God will heal me!”
Father Dennis Ruíz, postulator of the cause, emphasized the importance of her example, especially for the youth of today, much like Blessed Carlo Acutis.
“Many of the youth nowadays are preoccupied by technology, fashion, fun, pleasure, and desire for worldly material things, which sometimes draw their attention away from healthy relationships, especially [relationships] to God,” he said. “With the presence of dysfunctional families and family disintegration in today’s society, children are usually the most affected, which consequently makes them turn for solace and consolation to their environment. But having a good model of piety and fortitude for the youth, they can be saved from utter destruction. Knowing Niña’s character and traits and her strong faith toward God will serve as a guide to the youth.”
The official portrait of the Servant of God by Filipino painter Ariel Caratao was presented to the public during the session.
Dressed in traditional Filipino attire, the Divine Mercy Children’s Choir, composed of children from the Little Sparks of the Divine Mercy and Immaculate Heart Filipino community, performed four songs for the congregation: “Children’s Entrustment to the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” “The Unity Prayer,” and “Jesus, I Trust in You,” followed by the singing of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Credit: Source link
