Posted on: 29 May 2026

Author:Sister Joan Kerley

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YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF
SISTER RUTH ANSALDO
Who died in Blackburn Hospital, on 20th May 2026

Sister Ruth Ansaldo was born in Davao, the Philippines, on 14th September 1934 to Genaro Ansaldo and Benigna Picar and baptised with the name ‘Leticia’.
Following her training as a medical doctor, she entered the congregation in Slingerland, New York, USA in 1965 and made her first profession in 1967.

Soon after, Ruth travelled to Kenya, where she began her missionary and healthcare ministry. She served in Kisumu and Kaplong hospitals and worked with mothers and babies at Asumbi Hospital.
In 1972, Ruth made final vows and undertook studies in preventative and tropical medicine in the UK. After this, she attended language school in Lima, Peru and then joined an inter-congregation community in Talara, Peru. By 1989, she became the Diocesan Promotor of Health in Pichincha, Ecuador, training health workers for community healthcare outreach.

In 1996, Ruth was appointed to the Blackburn community and studied Franciscan theology. She later served in Burnley, where she led the community for three years. From 2003 to 2009, Ruth formed part of the chaplaincy team at Trafford Royal Hospital, where she provided spiritual support and a friendly and caring ear to patients and staff. She met some elderly patients who knew our Sisters in Patricroft and related accounts of the good works carried out by them.

On discovering that about 30 Filipino nurses were employed in the hospital, the majority of whom were from her home province, Davao, Mindanao, she became deeply involved with the Filipino community in the north of England, offering organisation, support and pastoral care to the community and was hugely appreciated as was witnessed on the occasion of her 90th birthday in September 2024. Ruth was surprised and very grateful for the two celebrations prepared by the Filipino community and attended by hundreds. Appreciation for her service, kindness and spiritual support to them was very much in evidence. Her joy was heightened by the surprise arrival of two of her blood sisters for her birthday celebrations.

Ruth spoke of her family with pride and appreciation and kept in frequent contact.
In the communities where she lived, Ruth was known for her creativity, her graceful Filipino dance, her ability to turn out rich, tasty meals, to decorate for celebrations and arrange flowers.
Having taken the name Ruth and that biblical figure as her example, Sister Ruth was willing to leave all that was familiar y to her and to serve wherever she believed the Spirit was leading her. This led to a rich experience that took her to the U.S, Kenya, Peru, Ecuador and the UK – carrying out medical and pastoral work, responding generously to the needs around her.
MAY SHE REST IN PEACE