Bishop to campaign for Pinoy teen’s beatification

MANILA, Philippines — A few months after the Vatican declared Darwin Ramos a “servant of God,” the archdiocese of Cubao will start today his cause for beatification and canonization – a procedure before he is declared saint.

“Part of the procedure for the cause of someone for sainthood is a formal opening in the diocesan level. It is mainly to inform the people and get some data about Darwin,” Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said yesterday.

He added that the process also aims to inform the public on how Ramos has affected the people’s faith and commitment.

Before the procedure, Ongtioco said the rites for the solemn opening and declaration of the cause of Ramos will be held at 5 p.m. today at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, which will be followed by a mass.

Ramos’ mother Erlinda, along with some children of the Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation, where Ramos had spent some time to help streetchildren, is expected to attend the ceremony.

Ramos succumbed to Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City on Sept. 23, 2012 at the age of 17.

Based on reports from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, made the declaration on Ramos in Rome last March 29.

French Dominican Fr. Thomas de Gabory, who will be present in the mass at the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral, will initiate the cause for the beatification and canonization of Ramos along with Ongtioco.

The CBCP said that declaring Ramos as servant of God is the first step toward recognizing him as a saint after the archdiocese of Cubao has submitted documents to the Vatican for him to become a saint.

The CBCP, however, clarified that the “servant of God” declaration only serves as a green light for the Archdiocese of Cubao to do the first step toward the sainthood of Ramos.

Ramos will still have to go through other steps which include the declarations of venerable, blessed and canonization, according to the CBCP.

Ramos spent his early years in the slums of Pasay City and became a scavenger in the streets with his younger sister to help his family make ends meet before he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Ramos entered the Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation in 2006 and helped with streetchildren in one of its centers after he got acquainted with a group of street educators from the foundation.