At the end of the Holy Year of 1900, James Alberione, a sixteen-year-old seminarian, underwent an experience that would give direction to the rest of his life. On the night of 31 December 1900, the night that divided the 19th and 20th centuries, he prayed for four hours before the Blessed Sacrament and contemplated the future in the light of God. A “particular light” seemed to come from the Host and awakened in him a sense of obligation “to do something for the Lord and for the people of the new century: he felt “obliged to serve the Church” with the new instruments provided by human ingenuity.”

Alberione was ordained on 29 June 1907 (Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul), and became a parish priest in Narzole. While studying for his doctorate in theology and because of which he was commonly called “The Theologian,” he also dedicated himself to intensive preaching. He was the Spiritual Director and a professor of the Seminary in Alba. Moreover, he was the Bishop’s Master of Ceremonies, a professor of Church and civil history and a catechist. As of September 8, 1913 by appointment of Bishop Re, he was made director of the weekly diocesan paper, the Gazette of Alba. “In this work, he directed and assisted me, with wisdom and firmness, for about twenty years. Everything else developed from this.” “Behold the main way: in Christ and in the Church.”

On August 20, 1914, Alberione founded the Society of St. Paul for priests and brothers. Then on June 15, 1915, Father Alberione founded the Daughters of St. Paul when he opened the Feminine Workshop in Piazza Cherasca. What had previously been a print shop for the younger members of the Society of St. Paul, now became a place where young women would be temporarily be sewing clothing for the members of the army. (It was wartime.)

Not long after James Alberione went to meet Teresa Merlo, the sister of Costanzo Leone, a student at the seminary where Alberione taught theology, for he heard from him of her good reputation as a catechist.
Father Alberione explained to Teresa that he opened up a sewing shop and that there were already three women working in it. They have a contract for sewing uniforms for the military. It’s a temporary job, which will be replaced by a print shop where we would produce religious books and magazines. I want to begin a congregation of sisters who will write, print and distribute books about our Catholic faith. She wanted to become a sister. Would this, now, be her chance to be accepted into religious life? In the past she had not been admitted to other congregations because of her frail health.

Teresa Merlo, (who later would be given the name Thecla for her profession name), wrote of those first days of the congregation, “We’re doing the Lord’s work. We’re helping to make books that will teach many people about God.”

The Daughters of St. Paul continued to grow and expand. In 1932, Mother Paula Cordero and one other Sister arrived in New York City to begin the congregation in the United States. The Daughters of St. Paul are now in more than 50 countries around the world.

Saying YES to God’s plan for our life is never easy. The young Mother Thecla found the strength for her continual and faithful YES in prayer. This precious prayer she prayed and wrote in the early days of the congregation:
“Beginning right now, I unite my prayers and sufferings to the intentions of Jesus in the holy Host, and I want to renew this offering with every beat of my heart. At night, may every breath I take while asleep be an act of continual communion with you, my God. With every breath I take, I want to say: Jesus is with us and we are with Jesus.”