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Journey to Sainthood: Filipino teenager declared as Servant of God by the Vatican, a step to sainthood

  • Darwin Ramos was declared Servant of God in Vatican, Rome
  • They will look into how strong was his faith and how he was being true to Jesus
  • Even as his health deteriorated, he was still able to uplift others

Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod are respectively the first and second Filipinos declared by the Vatican as saints. Recently, another Filipino may be up for sainthood soon.

In a report of CBCP News, a teenager named Darwin Ramos was declared by Cardinal Angelo Beccui, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, Rome as Servant of God on March 29.

To be declared as a Servant of God means a bigger possibility of sainthood.

The Vatican via Diocese of Cubao had given the signal to start investigating Darwin’s past after the declaration. They look into how strong his faith was and how he was being true to Jesus

“The Vatican has given us the go signal to go deeper in his life, how he lived his faith, and how he gave witness to Jesus to whom he was very close,” said Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco.

Darwin is from a poor community in Pasay City. At an early age, he was collecting and selling things he got from the garbage to help his family.

Unfortunately, he got sick and became unable to stand because his muscles were weak.

In 2006, Darwin met a group of street educators, Tulay ng Kabataan (TnK), whom he soon joined in their efforts to help street children.

Here he built his Catholic faith where he received the sacrament of baptism, communion, and confirmation in 2007.

Darwin’s health continued to deteriorate but he still was able to raise the morale of TnK staff and all the children at the center by living his life in prayers.

Bishop Ongtionco said that Darwin had a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. He never had a day in his life that he failed to entrust to God.

Written by Rhelyn Harder

An open-minded person who seeks to inspire readers through writing. She believes that having the freedom and courage to express oneself is an opportunity to influence others.

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