August 13 shines as a day of tribute to St. Santa Dulce dos Pobres, Brazil’s first native-born saint, whose life was a beacon of compassion for the most vulnerable. This date marks a pivotal moment in 1933 when a 19-year-old named Maria Rita de Souza Brito Lopes Pontes received her religious habit and became Sister Dulce, embarking on a remarkable journey of service. Pope Saint John Paul II, deeply moved by her mission, met Sister Dulce during both his visits to Brazil. In 1980, he encouraged her to persevere in her acts of kindness. In 1991, he made a heartfelt detour to the Santo Antônio Convent in Salvador, where Sister Dulce lay hospitalized, to pray with her and offer a rosary. This unscheduled visit spoke volumes about the impact she had on all who met her. Later canonized as Saint Dulce dos Pobres, she became a symbol of hope, her legacy living on through the Charitable Works Foundation of Sister Dulce, which continues to uplift the poor and disabled across Brazil.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
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