Blessed Rita Amada de Jesus

Blessed Rita Amada de Jesus, also known as the Apostle of the Rosary, was born Rita Lópes de Almeida on March 5, 1848, in Casalmedinho, Ribafeita, in the diocese of Viseu, Portugal. She came from a devout family, where the rosary was an integral part of their daily life. Her parents, Manuel Lopes and Josefa de Jesus Almeida, instilled in her a deep love for God and a commitment to prayer.

During her upbringing, Portugal was experiencing a tumultuous time, as the Freemasons, with government backing, openly clashed with the Catholic Church. Churches were seized, religious institutions were closed, and religious orders were prohibited from accepting new members. Despite these challenging circumstances, Rita felt a strong calling to religious life and missionary work.

Although her desire was to join the foreign missions, the suppression of the Church limited her opportunities. However, she was able to spend some time at Viseu City with the Benedictine Sisters, who taught her valuable lessons about their way of life. It was during this period that Rita began to travel from parish to parish, dedicating herself to prayer, teaching the rosary, and inspiring ordinary people to make the Church an integral part of their lives.

Rita's devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus grew, along with her burning desire to save souls. She encountered both support and opposition in her mission. Many individuals returned to their faith and supported her, while others, threatened by her influence, opposed her. Despite facing personal risks, including threats to her life, Rita remained steadfast in her commitment to spread the faith.

At the age of 29, Rita entered the only religious institute still functioning in Portugal, the Sisters of Charity at Oporto. However, she did not find fulfillment within this congregation and ultimately chose to leave. Feeling called to care for single mothers and their children, Rita sought the help of a wealthy noble family in her hometown. With their support, she obtained a house to establish a ministry dedicated to this cause.

On September 24, 1880, Rita founded the Sisters of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to assist her in this endeavor. In addition to caring for single mothers and their children, Rita also established a school for impoverished children in her parish. This initiative soon expanded, and she opened several more schools across the country, all staffed by the Sisters of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Unfortunately, the local authorities, hostile to the Church, opposed the schools and even demanded their closure. The challenges escalated further when rebels drove out the monarchy in 1910 and established a republic. This new regime initiated a strong and concerted persecution of the Church. All Church property was confiscated, foreign religious orders were forced to leave the country, and parochial schools were shut down.

In the face of this persecution, Rita, along with some of her sisters and the children in their care, disguised themselves as gypsies and sought refuge with her parents for safety. Her childhood home became their new base of operations. Despite the difficult circumstances, Rita managed to gather her scattered sisters and continued to educate local children within the house.

To ensure the continuity of their mission, most of the sisters left for Brazil to educate the poor and spread the faith. Rita, due to her poor health, was unable to travel with them. Nevertheless, she found solace in knowing that her sisters were carrying on the good work she had initiated. It was during this time that Rita's health deteriorated, and she passed away on January 6, 1913, in Casalmedinho, Ribafeita, the place of her birth. She died of natural causes, knowing that her sisters were actively engaged in the missionary work she had longed to participate in.

In recognition of her virtuous life, Pope John Paul II declared the heroic virtues of Blessed Rita Amada de Jesus on December 20, 2003. Later, on May 28, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI beatified her. The beatification ceremony took place in Viseu, Portugal, recognizing Rita's exemplary life and her significant contributions to serving the Catholic Church and the education of the impoverished.