The Vatican has given the approval to open an inquiry into the cause for sainthood of “Ka Luring,” a lay catechist from the Diocese of Pasig.

Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of the Diocese of Pasig announced that apostolic nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown and his secretary Msgr. Giuseppe Trentadue personally handed him the “nihil obstat” from Rome for the cause of beatification and canonization of Laurena “Ka Luring” Franco.

“Having examined the matter, I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that on the part of the Holy See, there is nothing that stands against the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the abovementioned Servant of God Laurena ‘Ka Luring’ Franco from being carried out, observing the ‘Norms to be observed in the Inquiries made by the Bishops in the Causes of Saints’ issued by the same Dicastery on February 7, 1983,” Semeraro said.

“Nihil obstat” is a Latin phrase traditionally used by the Catholic Church which means “nothing hinders” or “nothing stands in the way.”

Born on 4 July 1936, Franco was a Roman Catholic catechist and member of the Legion of Mary who devoted her life to serving the local diocese and the poor.

Her reputation for holiness was known to then Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who gave her the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award on behalf of Pope St. John Paul II in 1990.

Franco died at the age of 75 in 2011 after battling cancer.

On 26 February, Vergara announced the opening of the beatification process of Franco.

“May I ask for your unceasing prayers as we do the next steps required by the dicastery,” Vergara said.

Vergara opened Franco’s cause in February 2024 and urged the laity to provide any “helpful information.” Erickson S. Javier, a doctor of ministry, was named postulator of the cause.