Irmã Dulce, born Maria Rita de Souza Brito Lopes Pontes in Salvador on May 26, 1914, dedicated her life to the most needy. Even as a teenager, she transformed her home into a shelter for the sick and homeless, which became known as the “Portaria de São Francisco.” Her calling for charity manifested early, influenced by her aunt’s involvement in church benevolent activities.
After entering religious life and adopting the name Irmã Dulce in honor of her mother, she founded the União Operária São Francisco in 1936, the first Christian workers’ movement in Bahia, offering social, legal, and union assistance to laborers. This organization, later renamed Círculo Operário da Bahia (COB), became one of the most relevant in Bahia’s labor scene, boasting over 10,000 members. Among her remarkable achievements, Irmã Dulce coordinated the installation of popular cinemas to fund her works and, in 1939, inaugurated Colégio Santo Antônio to educate workers and their children. Lacking space to shelter the sick, she improvised a dormitory in the old chicken coop of the Convento de Santo Antônio, which evolved into Hospital Santo Antônio. In 1959, this hospital was incorporated into the Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce (OSID), which would become the largest philanthropic organization in Brazil.
During the military dictatorship after 1964, Irmã Dulce faced funding restrictions and was monitored by the National Information Service (SNI). However, her hospitals secretly provided medical care to opponents of the regime, demonstrating her courage and commitment to human dignity. She pressured military authorities to release funds for her social works. In 1980, she received a special blessing from Pope John Paul II during his visit to Brazil, which reinforced the recognition of her work. Following the creation of Brazil’s public health system (SUS), OSID’s assistance network was integrated into the public healthcare system, expanding its reach. She also established the Centro Educacional Santo Antônio (CESA) for abandoned children, offering them education and vocational training. Known as the “Good Angel of Bahia” and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988, Irmã Dulce passed away in Salvador on March 13, 1992, at 77 years old, and was canonized by Pope Francis in 2019, receiving the title of “Saint Dulce of the Poor.”
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