First SMIC member to be saint

WOODLAND PARK  Sister Irma Dulce Pontes, known as the “good angel for the poor,” is now officially a saint following her canonization by Pope Francis on Oct. 13 in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. She is the first Missionary Sister of the Immaculate Con­cep­tion to be canonized.

In the Paterson Diocese, the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, an order that has deep roots here and where the generalate for the congregation is located, rejoiced at the canonization of the Brazilian nun, who devoted her life to works of charity and seeing the face of God in the poor. Several sisters from the Diocese attended the canonization and some others attended a hometown celebration for the new saint in her native Brazil, which took place a week later on Oct. 20.

St. Irma Dulce Pontes was canonized alongside St. John Newman, St. Guiditta Vannini, St. Mariam Thresia Mankidiyan and St. Marguerite Bays. From across the globe, Catholics attended the canonization for the new saints along with several world leaders.

Closer to home, there will be a Mass of thanksgiving for St. Irma Dulce’s canonization in St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson Dec. 7 at 11:30 a.m. The faithful of the Diocese are invited to attend.

Brazilian-born Sister Livarmento Oliveria, general minister for the order, said, “To everyone, who knew her or heard about her, she was a saint. The canonization made it official. She was concerned about the poor and she was a missionary out there with the poor during a time many religious were in schools, hospitals and convents. Today the Missionary Sisters emulate her to be out there in the world.”

While Sister Dulce’s life was saintly, the quickness of her canonization did come as a surprise. She was beatified less than 10 years ago on May 22, 2011 in Salvador, Brazil. Her canonization was confirmed by the miraculous healing of Jose Maurcio Braganca Moreira, who actually met St. Dulce in his youth. He was cured of his blindness and is now able to see.

In addition to her canonization coming as a surprise, St. Dulce lived during the 20th century. She was born on May 26, 1914. Sister Livarmento came in contact with the saint in 1990. St. Dulce passed away on March 13, 1992 one month after Sister Livarmento made her first vows. To be present at her canonization was something special to Sister Livarmento, who said, “I never thought I would be here at a canonization one day. This is really special.”

Sister Kate Conti, unit leader of the Missionary Sisters in the U.S., also attended the canonization. “I met St. Dulce for the first time during a visit in Brazil,” she told The Beacon. “At the time, I didn’t speak Portuguese but just the look in her eyes and her care for the poor and the sick, I understood what it meant. The way of her being just spoke to my heart.”

She was especially moved witnessing firsthand the conditions in Brazil among the poor whom St. Dulce served. “I worked in Paterson with the poor and even still, I have never seen such poverty. There was no way to compare with the desperation and poverty many people had and here St. Dulce was among the people. I always carried that with me,” said Sister Conti.

St. Dulce developed one of the most notable social services in Brazil known as the Charitable Works Foundation of Sr. Dulce. The organization, also known as OSID (Obras Sociais Irma Dulce in Portuguese), has a mission to “love and serve the poorest ones, offering them free health care and education for life.” It consists of a 1,000-bed teaching hospital in Salvador, Bahia in Brazil and also operates a school that provides education and social services for 800 children who live in extreme poverty in one of the most impoverished cities in the metropolitan region of Salvador.

Her hometown celebration was held in Arena Fonte Nova, a soccer stadium in Salvador, Brazil. Brazilians from all over the country attended the Mass in honor of the homegrown saint.

Sister Livramento said, “The whole country made the pilgrimage to Salvador which shows how much she was loved by the people. The canonization was the formal part of the celebration. In Brazil, it was full of joy and it was for the people.”

Also attending the Brazil celebration was Sister Eleanor Goekler, a member of the U.S. unit. She said, “I was incredibly moved and it was a profound experience to be present among 50,000, who were there to celebrate and were touched by the life of St. Dulce. Everyone we met had a story about her, who knew her or knew someone that did. She was there for them with her compassion, love in making things right for them.”

Sister Beatrice Yang, assistant minister general from Taiwan, was present for both celebrations. “We feel very excited and honored. She gives us an example in our congregation that it is our apostolic call to live this kind of life. For me, her work in itself is a miracle,” she said.