Laureana Franco (4 July 1936 – 7 October 2011) known as Ka Luring Franco was a

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

Roman Catholic

catechist Catechesis (; from Greek: , "instruction by word of mouth", generally "instruction") is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of converts to Christianity, but as the ...

and member of the

Legion of Mary The Legion of Mary ( la, Legio Mariae, postnominal abbreviation L.O.M.) is an international association of members of the Catholic Church who serve it on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, as a Marian movement by the layman and civi ...

who devoted her life to serving her local diocese and its poor. She is a candidate for beatification.

Biography

Laureana Franco was born on 4 July 1936, in Hagonoy,

Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...

, southwest of

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

, into a poor family. Aside from being the eldest of eight children, very little is known about her childhood and family background. Her parents were exceptionally pious and taught the Catholic faith to their children. At a young age, she became a member of the

, where she developed a strong devotion to the

Blessed Mother Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. Through experience with work assignments for the Legion, she became a dedicated

and found the vocation to which she devoted her life. In the entire Archdiocese of Manila, she was one of the only two women given permission to distribute

Holy Communion The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...

. After struggling patiently with cancer, she died on 17 October 2011.

Awards

On 1 April 1990, through the recommendation of Cardinal

Jaime Sin Jaime Lachica Sin ( zh, t=辛海梅, 辛海棉, poj=Sin Hái-mûi, Sin Hái-mî; August 31, 1928 – June 21, 2005), commonly and formally known as Jaime Cardinal Sin, was the 30th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila and the third cardinal from ...

, Franco received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award from

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

for her exemplary service as a lay catechist. In 2002, she received the Mother Teresa Award, a project of AY Foundation Inc. and the Manila Jaycees, for her work with the poor and needy.

Cause of beatification and canonization

In October 2020, Bishop

Mylo Hubert Vergara Mylo Hubert Claudio Vergara (born October 23, 1962) is a Filipino bishop of the Catholic Church. He is the second and current Bishop of Pasig, and he had previously served as the third Bishop of San Jose from February 12, 2005 to April 20, 20 ...

of Pasig Diocese announced that Franco's cause for

beatification Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...

will formally commence in 2021 in line with the 500th anniversary of Christianity of the Philippines.

References

1936 births 2011 deaths Filipino Roman Catholics Filipino Servants of God People from Taguig 21st-century venerated Christians {{Philippines-bio-stub