Blessed Rita Amada de Jesus

Rita Lopes de Almeida (religious name Rita Amada de Jesus, 5 March 1848 – 6 January 1913), was a Portuguese religious sister and the founder of the Sisters of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. She was called "Apostle of the Rosary, Apostle of the Eucharist, [and] Apostle of the Family" and one of the greatest Christian teachers of her time. She worked with the poor and founded schools for the children of single mothers, despite the religious persecution in Portugal at the time. Almeida was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. As of 2020, the Sisters of Mary, Jesus and Joseph were in nine countries, including in Brazil, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding there in 2012. Rita Lopes de Almeida was born on 5 March 1848 in Ribafeita, Portugal, the fourth of seven children, to Manuel Lopez and Josefa de Jesus Almeida. Her family was devout Catholics and "felt a great desire to live an authentic Christian life". Almeida demonstrated a devotion to the Eucharist, the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and "a great love for the Pope". Almeida, despite the religious persecution of the time and death threats against her, traveled to parishes throughout Portugal, teaching parishioners how to pray the Rosary. At a young age, while still living with her parents, Almeida visited the Benedictine sisters in Viseu, 15 kilometers from her home parish, but was unable to join the order because the government had forbidden all religious houses to admit new members. The Benedictine sisters taught Almeida the religious practice of mortification. She felt called to be a missionary and an apostle, despite the laws that prohibited it in Portugal. She also rejected her suitors because of that call, even though they were wealthy. Her family was involved in her missionary work; needy women lived in the family home. She travelled from parish to parish to encourage people to make their faith an important part of their lives.