20 February 1894 – 5 February 1964
Teresa Merlo met Fr. Alberione June 27, 1915, and agreed to collaborate with him in giving life to his apostolic vision.
From that time on, with tremendous faith and untiring trust, Teresa, who took the religious name of Thecla, (after St. Paul's first female disciple) assisted him not only in the foundation and formation of the Daughters of St. Paul, but with the other Congregations of the Pauline Family and his many other apostolic works.
Her deep faith and trust in God, her example and courage, her close collaboration with Alberione and her loving guidance of the sisters won for her the respect and love of all who knew her.
She helped to shape the particular spirit and new mission of the Daughters of St Paul dedicated to evangelization with all the means technology would provide.Nothing was ever enough for her when it came to communicating the Good News of Christ the Lord to the people: “Our field of apostolate is the entire world.”
She died on February 5, 1964, and the Church proclaimed her "Venerable" on January 22, 1991.
HOW TO BE HAPPY
“Our heart, our soul is too big to be happy with things which end. Only God can make us happy, serving God, loving God, sacrificing ourselves for Him. Then one is always happy. Let us unite ourselves intimately to God and we will be happy any place, with anyone, in any work.”
~ Venerable Thecla Merlo
