Laureana Franco

Laureana Franco (4 July 1936 – 17 October 2011), also known as "Ka Luring Franco", was a Filipino Roman Catholic catechist and member of the Legion of Mary who devoted her life to serving her local diocese and its poor. Her cause for beatification is being processed by the Diocese of Pasig.

Biography
Laureana Franco was born on 4 July 1936, in Hagonoy, Taguig, near Manila, 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 Legion of Mary, where she developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother. Through experience with work assignments for the Legion, she became a dedicated catechist 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.

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

Awards
On 1 April 1990, through the recommendation of Cardinal Jaime Sin, Franco received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award from Pope John Paul II 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.

Beatification process
On February 26, 2024, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of the Diocese of Pasig announced the opening of the beatification process. In July 2024, the Diocese of Pasig received a letter from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints granting nihil obstat allowing to commence its local inquiry for Franco's cause of beatification. The letter of protocol was received by Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara from the apostolic nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown and his counselor, Giuseppe Trentadue.