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Clelia Merloni was born on March 10, 1861, in Forli, Kingdom of Italy to Gioacchino Merloni and Teresa Brandinelli.
Clelia’s mother died in 1864, and her maternal grandmother took over childcaring responsibilities. In 1866, Gioacchino remarried, and the new stepmother, Maria Giovanna Boeri helped the grandmother raise young Clelia. Together, the women made sure Clelia had a firm foundation in her Catholic faith.
While she was growing up, Clelia’s father was devoted to his business and climbing the social ladder. He hoped that one day, Clelia would follow him in his business endeavors. And although Mr. Merloni made sure Clelia had a solid education, he grew away from his faith and became an anti-clerical member of the Freemasons.
As she became older and saw the business world, Clelia decided that was not the life for her. Rather, she felt called to the religious sisterhood. This infuriated her father, causing all sorts of family drama. The father not only threw the grandmother out of his house, but he also suffered the loss of his wife who left him to live with other relatives.
Before his death in 1895, Gioacchino was reconciled to the faith and left his estate to Clelia.
Following her father’s death, Clelia joined a new religious order called the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence founded by Father (now Saint) Luigi Guanella. While in this order, however, Clelia decided God wanted her to found a new order devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. So, with two friends, she founded the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Unfortunately, a priest who served as a financial advisor, turned out to be dishonest. Rather than turn in the priest to authorities, she took the blame herself. This led not only to humiliation for the order, but Sr. Clelia received death threats. So, left town with the other sisters.
Happily, the women met the Bishop of Piacenza, Giovanni Battista Scalabrini (now a Saint), and on June 10, 1900, the diocese approved the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Rule of Life. On the same day, Clelia and ten other religious women made their religious profession.
Bishop Scalabrini, who always had a missionary heart, asked the congregation to send some of their members to become foreign missionaries. So, on August 10, 1900, six of the women went work in São Paulo, Brazil, and four more went to the State of Paranà in Brazil in October. In 1902, six more women sailed to Boston to help the Missionaries of Saint Charles Borromeo.
In 1905, however, Bishop Scalabrini died, and Mother Merloni’s good standing in the congregation disappeared. The Vatican removed her from her leadership position and replaced her with another Sister. Sister Clelia withdrew from the public eye and, in 1916, she received permission to be released from her vows; this was granted.
Twice, however, Clelia asked to be return to the order, and both times her request was denied. Then, however, on March 7, 1928 she was welcomed to return as the “Mother Foundress” of the order.
Clelia died on November 21, 1930 and was beatified on November 3, 2018. Blessed Clelia’s feast day is November 21.
Today, members of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus serve in many nations of the world.
