Mother Mary Potter (1847–1913) was the founder of the Little Company of Mary (1877), with a special focus on prayer for the dying. An English nun, she grew up in difficult family circumstances after her father abandoned them. Throughout her life, she suffered from frail health, but this only spurred her to a deeper understanding of the suffering of others. She dedicated her life to caring for the sick and dying, despite her own poor physical health. Despite initial rejection and illness (including two mastectomies), she founded a community that combined active and contemplative life, spreading her congregation internationally. She died in 1913 and was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1988.