Philippine diocese seeks sainthood of a catechist who quit job to serve church full-time

The diocese of Pasig has taken steps to ensure the sainthood of a catechist who died of cancer at the age of 75.

On February 24, Manila time, the diocese posted an announcement on its social media page informing the public of its bid to elevate the late Laureana Franco to sainthood. 

“With this circular letter, I invite all the People of God in the Diocese of Pasig to participate in the tedious process of bringing to light the life and heroic virtues of a legendary catechist to sainthood,” said Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara in a directive dated February 22.

An edict dated the same day was also posted on the diocese's social media page along with the directive. 

"The publication of the edict, herewith attached, marks the beginning of the process required by the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints," the bishop stated. 

The dicastery is tasked with evaluating candidates for sainthood. 

Franco left her job at the Philippine Air Force, where she worked as a telephone switchboard operator and an accounting clerk, to become a full-time catechist with no salary. 

Franco was the first female lay minister of the Archdiocese of Manila. 

After she quit her job, Franco attended a training course in catechism. 

“They thought I was crazy to give up a well-paying and secure job back in the ‘60s and spend all my separation pay to enroll in a catechist’s training course,” she said in a feature by UCAN in 1995. “They couldn’t understand it when I explained I was happiest teaching catechism to children.”

Pope John Paul II conferred on Franco the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award in 1990 for her exemplary service as a lay catechist.

She was also given the Mother Teresa Award in 2002 for her work for the less fortunate. - Oliver Samsom