Niña Ruiz Abad
A Modern Beacon of Faith
Early Life
Niña Ruiz Abad was born on October 31, 1979 in Quezon City, Philippines. Her parents—Alex Cuadrante Abad and Corazon Javier Ruiz—were both lawyers who hailed from Ilocos Norte. Niña had one sister, Mary Anne. Her early childhood, however, was marked by deep trial when her father unexpectedly passed away when she was only two or three years old, leaving her mother to raise the two young girls.
Despite the tragedy, Niña’s spiritual foundation was laid early. She was baptized on March 15, 1980, at the Santo Domingo Church—the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary—in Quezon City. In 1987, she received her First Communion at the Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Cubao.
In April 1988, due to her mother’s professional commitments, the family relocated to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte where Niña excelled academically in elementary and middle schools. Throughout her transitions between city life and her ancestral home in Ilocos, Niña maintained a singular, unshakeable focus: Putting God first in all things.
A Remarkable Piety
What set Niña apart from her peers was an extraordinary, mature faith in God and spiritual discipline that manifested at a very young age. Widely remembered as "the girl who always wore a rosary" she frequently went about with a rosary around her neck as an outward sign of her dedication to Christ through His Blessed Mother. Her personal motto, "God first" served as the guiding principle for her day-to-day existence. Her daily routine was steeped in prayer and rigorous piety:
- Devotional Discipline: Niña dedicated much time to personal prayer, often spending up to an hour and a half kneeling with her hands raised and eyes closed in deep meditation, completely immovable as she quietly communed with God. When her mother asked her if this tired her, the child replied, "No Mama, I am happy to talk to God. I feel like I'm floating." Furthermore, Nina actively encouraged her family and household helpers to join her in praying the Angelus and the daily Rosary, acting as a young apostle of peace and piety within her own household ... and if anyone refused or gave an excuse so as not to participate, the child would simply reply, "No ... God first!", which was usually enough to persuade the listener to pray with her.
- Love for the Holy Eucharist and the Mass: During Mass, unlike most children her age, she was particularly attentive and exhibited profound reverence, keeping her hands clasped tightly in front of her heart throughout the liturgy; it goes without saying that her devotion to our Eucharistic Lord was admirable for one so young.
- Home Altars and Religious Imagery: Niña's family home featured 9 devotional altars. She maintained a deep affection for every holy image displayed, often sleeping with representations of the Santo Niño and Our Lady of the Rosary or Our Lady of Lourdes close to her. She loved decorating each altar with flowers picked from her family's garden ... and if there weren't enough individual blossoms to go around, she plucked the petals off so as to spread them around each holy image.
- Simplicity and Penance: Demonstrating a striking innocence and a desire to avoid moral failing, she famously avoided eating apples, believing that the fruit symbolized the original sin of Adam and Eve. She also preferred clothing that was unpretentious, shunning the color black unless it was strictly required by her school uniform.
- Distribution of Sacramentals: And finally, one other thing this child was known for was her habitual giving away of sacramentals such as rosaries, prayer books, holy cards, Bibles, etc. ... to family, friends, and others who would accept them from her.
Niña at her First Holy Communion
Even during her lifetime, those who crossed paths with Niña recognized that there was something innately good about her. Teachers, classmates, and neighbors frequently recalled her gentle demeanor, her patience during trials, and her ability to comfort those around her with a spiritual wisdom that defied her age. Her sanctity was not characterized by grand accomplishments, but by pure innocence, deep joy, and an intense awareness of God's presence. Niña proved that holiness can be lived out by all ... even by a child.
Unexpected Death & Legacy
In 1989, at the age of nine, Niña was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a serious heart condition. Despite knowing the fragility of her health, she continued her devout lifestyle with remarkable fortitude. On August 16, 1993, Niña suffered a severe heart attack while in school. She was immediately rushed to the hospital, but her earthly life came to its conclusion at the tender age of 13.
Cause for Sainthood
Niña's formal journey toward sainthood commenced under the Diocese of Laoag. After receiving the necessary clearance (nihil obstat) from the Vatican, the diocesan inquiry into her life, heroic virtues, and reputation for sanctity was officially opened on April 7, 2024 (coinciding with Divine Mercy Sunday). A special tribunal was established to gather testimonies from her remaining relatives, teachers, friends, and those touched by her intercession. Her path toward official recognition by the Universal Church marks a historic milestone: she has the distinction of being one of the youngest candidates for canonization in Southeast Asia.
Initially, Niña was laid to rest at the public cemetery in Ilocos Norte. However, as her reputation for holiness grew posthumously, her remains were exhumed on April 6, 2024, and translated to a special tomb within the historic Church of Santa Monica in Sarrat, where the public is welcomed to privately invoke the Servant of God's intercession.
* * * Meeting a Special Mother * * *
The photos above and below were taken on Sunday, 9/27/2026, at St. George Church in Waimanalo during a celebration Mass and dinner for St. Lorenzo Ruiz. It just so happened that Mrs. Corazon Abad (Niña's mother) was in town visiting with friends so Fr. Raymund Ellorin invited her to be a part of the festivities. Following the Mass, she gave a short testimonial about her daughter after which this author had the privilege of being introduced to her by Fr. Raymund. What a delight it was to converse with this woman of faith and to hear from her first-hand accounts of Niña's devout conduct some of which are included in this blog.
Please join this ministry in praying for the speedy canonization of Niña Ruiz Abad.
Little Niña, pray for us!
