Dulce de Souza Lopes Pontes

Dulce de Souza Lopes Pontes, born Maria Rita de Souza Pontes on May 26, 1914, was a remarkable Brazilian Missionary Sister of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God. Renowned for her unwavering commitment to the impoverished, she founded the Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce, a charitable organization that has become a beacon of hope for the less fortunate in Brazil.

In 1949, Dulce began her mission by caring for the poorest individuals in her convent's chicken yard in Salvador, Bahia. This humble beginning laid the foundation for what would evolve into a significant philanthropic endeavor, with over three thousand people seeking free medical treatment daily at the site where the Santo Antônio Hospital now stands. Additionally, she established CESA, a school dedicated to the education of the poor in Simões Filho, one of Bahia's most impoverished cities.

Throughout her life, Dulce's efforts garnered international recognition. At the time of her passing in 1992, she had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and had met with Pope John Paul II on two occasions. Her legacy as a humanitarian was solidified when she was named the most admired woman in Brazil's history by O Estado de S. Paulo and recognized as the most influential religious figure in the country during the twentieth century by ISTOÉ magazine.

In 2011, Dulce was beatified with papal approval, marking a significant step towards sainthood. Her legacy continued to flourish when, in May 2019, Pope Francis acknowledged a second miracle attributed to her, leading to her canonization on October 13, 2019. This momentous occasion made her the first Brazilian female saint, forever enshrining her contributions to society and her unwavering dedication to the poor.