Rita Amda de Jesus - Follower of the Family

Madre Rita Amada de Jesus was a very devout woman. In the past day 28 of May of 2006, the diocese of Viseu, had the pleasure to receive, the solemn beatification of Rita Lopes de Almeida (later Madre Rita Amada de Jesus). Madre Rita, was born the 5 of March of 1848, in the place of Casalmendinho, clientele of Ribafeita, concelho of Viseu. Son of supplied agriculturists (Manuel Lopes and Josefa de Jesus Almeida), had a happy infancy, marked for the apocalyptic forecasts of its mother and the attempt of adoption, on the part of a supplied couple that however knows. Since always, Rita Amada showed a great devotion the highest one, arriving to pass two hours per day to pray terço in front of the Santíssimo Sacramento. To the 24 years, he feels inspiration divine to establish a convent, with the end to lodge women and children in difficulties, but the confessor thinks to be devilish inspiration and only eight years later it obtains to carry through so desired dream. To the 29 years he enters in the children of the Charity of Are Vicente de Pablo, which abandons to establish the Institute. Madre Rita, delivers “to body and soul” to the foundation/maintenance of the Institute Jesus Maria and Jose, which if destines to the social aid. Although pursued for the state, its workmanship obtained to take advantage, and approximately to widen it countries as Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Angola and Moçambique, counting currently on 300 sisters, 50 of which in Portugal (inhabiting in the dioceses of: Viseu, Lamego, Keep, Castello Branco and Porto). The Apostola of the Rosary and the Family, would come to die the 6 of January of 1913. The cerimónia of Beatification, Was presided over by the Cardinal Legacy of the Saint Padre, D. Jose Hail Martins and concelebrada by some bishops of the CEP and ouros countries between which D. António Marto, current Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Viseu and Bispo de Leiria-Fátima; elapsing without profits and having attended about 5 a thousand people spread between adro of the Sé Cathedral and the D.Duarte Square. Madre Rita, is a life model, that I eat related D.António, during the homilia, “(...) it is the confirmation and the illustration of that the sanctity of the life is the reality most necessary for the renewal of the hearts, the families, the interpersonal relations and for authentic a humanização of the society and the world, one contributo decisive for the civilization of the love.”

With Friendship,

Rafael Almeida