Rita Amada de Jesus

Rita Lopes de Almeida (religious name Rita Amada de Jesus, 5 March 1848 – 6 January 1913), was a Portuguese religious sister and the founder of the Sisters of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. She was called "Apostle of the Rosary, Apostle of the Eucharist, [and] Apostle of the Family" Almeida was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. As of 2020, the Sisters of Mary, Jesus and Joseph were in nine countries, including in Brazil, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding there in 2012.

Life Rita Lopes de Almeida was born on 5 March 1848 in Ribafeita, Portugal, the fourth of seven children, to Manuel Lopez and Josefa de Jesus Almeida. Her family was devout Catholics and "felt a great desire to live an authentic Christian life". The sisters returned to Portugal 32 years later. As of 2020, the Sisters of Jesus, Mary and Joseph exists in nine countries. The Vatican's documentation of Almeida's beatification in 2006 stated that she "had a great desire to save many souls".