On May 26, 1914, a girl named Maria Rita de Souza Brito Lopes Pontes was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

What a huge name! But soon everyone would call her simply Dulce!

Her family was middle class. Her father, Augusto, was a dentist and professor. Her mother, Dulce, was a dedicated housewife.

Maria Rita had five more siblings. It was a joyful and Catholic family!

But Maria Rita's heart was different from when she was very little...

The Girl with a Big Heart

From very young, Maria Rita couldn't see suffering!

When she saw beggars on the street, she cried! She wanted to help!

At age 6, she began doing something extraordinary: she secretly brought poor people home!

She hid sick people in the storage room! She gave them food! She cared for them!

Her mother would discover and get angry: "Maria Rita! You can't bring strangers home!"

But Maria Rita would answer: "Mother, they have nowhere to stay! Jesus asks us to help!"

The Loss of Her Mother

When Maria Rita was only 7 years old, her mother Dulce died of cancer.

It was a terrible tragedy! Maria Rita deeply loved her mother!

On her deathbed, Dona Dulce called her daughter and said: "Maria Rita, take care of the poor! Always be charitable!"

These words were forever engraved on Maria Rita's heart!

She promised: "Mother, I will dedicate my life to the poor! I promise!"

And she kept that promise!

First Communion

At age 8, Maria Rita made her First Communion.

It was a special day! She looked beautiful in her little white dress!

But what happened in her heart was even more beautiful!

When she received Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time, Maria Rita felt: "Jesus is alive inside me! And He loves the poor! So I will love them too!"

From that day forward, her life had a clear purpose: to serve Jesus in the poor!

The Religious Vocation

At age 13, Maria Rita already knew: she wanted to be a nun!

She said: "I want to dedicate myself totally to God and the poor!"

But her father didn't agree! "You're too young! Wait!"

Maria Rita obeyed. She waited. But she didn't stop helping the poor!

She visited slums. She brought food. She cared for the sick. She taught catechism to poor children!

At age 18, she finally got her father's permission!

Entering the Convent

On August 15, 1933, Maria Rita entered the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God.

What a long name! But the mission was simple: serve the poor and sick!

Maria Rita received a new name: Sister Dulce!

She chose this name in honor of her mother! "I will continue the mission my mother began!"

As a novice, Sister Dulce was radiant with joy! She prayed much! She worked hard! And always, always helped the poor!

Teacher and Nurse

After making her religious vows, Sister Dulce was assigned to teach in the congregation's schools.

She was a wonderful teacher! She loved children! She taught with patience and joy!

But at the same time, she studied nursing! She wanted to be able to care for the sick better!

She woke early, prayed, taught classes, studied, and still visited the poor at night!

When did she sleep? Almost never! But she was always joyful!

"I don't have time to be tired! Jesus needs me!" she would say.

The Nightly Walks

At night, after everyone slept, Sister Dulce would sneak out!

Where to? To the streets of Salvador! To the poorest slums!

She brought food, medicine, clothes! She visited the gravely ill!

She returned at dawn, climbed the convent wall (because the gate was closed!), and entered secretly!

The other sisters knew, but pretended not to see! They admired her courage!

But the superiors sometimes complained: "Sister Dulce, you need to rest! You'll get sick!"

Sister Dulce would smile: "Jesus didn't rest! I won't either!"

The St. Francis Workers' Union

In 1935, Sister Dulce founded the St. Francis Workers' Union.

It was an association of poor workers! They gathered to pray, but also to help each other!

If someone got sick and couldn't work, others helped their family!

If someone needed medicine, they took up a collection!

Sister Dulce organized everything! She was the soul of the movement!

Hundreds of workers joined! It was a small seed of something much bigger to come...

The Workers on the Street

But the problem was enormous! Many sick people had nowhere to stay!

Hospitals wouldn't accept them because they were poor! They died in the streets!

Sister Dulce couldn't stand seeing this! "I must do something!"

In 1939, she did something bold: she rented an abandoned market!

It was an old, dirty place, falling apart! But it was a roof!

She cleaned everything! She put mattresses on the floor! And she began sheltering the sick!

Soon she had 70 people there! Sleeping on the floor! But at least they weren't on the street!

The Miraculous Chicken Coop

But the rent money ran out! The owner wanted the market back!

Where to take 70 sick people?

Sister Dulce had a bold idea: she took them all to the convent's chicken coop!

Yes, the chicken coop! Where the chickens slept!

The other sisters were shocked! "Sister Dulce! You can't!"

But she answered: "Jesus was born in a stable! The sick can stay in a chicken coop."

She cleaned the chicken coop, put in improvised beds, and sheltered everyone there!

The chickens were left homeless - but the sick had a roof!

Asking for Help

Sister Dulce had no money! How to feed 70 people? How to buy medicine?

She did what she always did: she went out to beg!

She knocked door to door: "Please, help Jesus' poor!"

She went to the market to beg for food! To pharmacies to beg for medicine! To stores to beg for clothes!

At first, many refused! "This nun is crazy!"

But Sister Dulce persisted! She smiled! She insisted! "It's for Jesus! You won't refuse Jesus, will you?"

And people ended up giving! How to refuse that tiny nun with eyes full of love?

Daily Miracles

Many times, there was no food! The sick would go to sleep hungry!

Sister Dulce would pray: "Jesus, You fed 5,000 with five loaves! Feed my poor!"

And miraculously, someone would appear with a donation! Just in time!

Other times, urgent medicine was needed to save a life!

Sister Dulce would pray! And the medicine would appear!

The sick testified: "Sister Dulce works miracles!"

But she would answer humbly: "It's not me! It's Jesus! I'm just an instrument!"

Fame Begins to Spread

Soon, everyone in Salvador knew Sister Dulce!

"You're sick and have no money? Look for Sister Dulce!"

"You're hungry? Go to Sister Dulce's chicken coop!"

"You're without hope? Sister Dulce will help!"

She became known as "The Good Angel of Bahia"!

Politicians began visiting her! Journalists wrote about her! But Sister Dulce didn't want fame!

She said: "The glory is Jesus'! I only do what He asks!"