In 1960, Thecla Merlo, co-foundress of the Daughters of St. Paul, visited Brazil for the last time. Her purpose was to encourage and inspire her daughters to follow Jesus, the Divine Master, Way, Truth, and Life, in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul and to communicate the Gospel through the media. At the time, the field of communication was evolving rapidly, and she faithfully followed the guidance of the “Theologian,” Blessed James Alberione. He described this mission as a new form of evangelization in the Catholic Church: to live and share Jesus as Way, Truth, and Life through modern media.
At that time, I was only 14 years old and had just entered the Congregation in the community of Porto Alegre, Brazil. We were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Sr. Thecla Merlo, who was traveling from Rome to visit and support us. There were 120 of us aspirants—teenage girls and young women—filled with the desire to consecrate our lives to God. Her arrival was a true celebration, a moment I still remember with deep emotion.
A chair was placed for her in the courtyard of our house where she personally welcomed each of us aspirants. She traced the sign of the cross on our foreheads, one by one. At the time, I did not realize that I was receiving the blessing of such a holy woman! Nor did I, as a young girl, fully grasp the meaning of that gesture that has remained etched in my heart, the grace of an encounter with a woman of God. That blessing was more than just a touch, it was a sign of divine love, sealing my call to follow Him.
The holiness of Sr. Thecla Merlo, which I only came to understand fully over time, was built day by day in the simplicity of a life completely open to the action of the Trinity. Her fidelity to the Gospel was absolute—she allowed herself to be transformed daily by Jesus, the Divine Master. According to the words of our founder, Sr. Thecla lived out the two secrets of the saints and apostles: humility and faith. Her humility made her wholly receptive to God’s will, while her faith sustained her in constant prayer. Though physically fragile, she was strong in spirit, tenacious and obedient, even to the point of sacrifice. She lived as if she could see the invisible, as one of her daughters, Sr. M. Luiza Ricciardi, later described in a hymn she wrote “Como se visse o invisível” (“Gazing upon the invisible”) Her entire life was dedicated to inspiring her daughters, encouraging them to spread the message of the Good News through the media, in accordance with the teachings of Blessed James Alberione.
At that time, the world of communications was still in its infancy, and everything seemed new and complex. Perhaps Sr. Thecla had not known all the technical details needed to establish a small printing press, but she possessed an unshakable faith. She obeyed with trust and instilled in the Sisters worldwide a deep love for the apostolate, urging them to be creative and to explore new opportunities made possible by advancements in communication.
She often said, “We have one heart and one soul in our various communities…. I carry you all in my heart.” Fr. Alberione spoke of her with profound admiration: “Prima Maestra is never absent. She is always present. She does not watch from afar but remains watchful—close, active, engaged in thought, desire, and life.”
Thecla Merlo was a living example of everyday holiness for her daughters, uniting action and contemplation. She demonstrated that the effectiveness of the apostolate depends on the depth of one’s spiritual life, which must be nourished by the Eucharist and the Word of God. Only through this deep foundation can apostolic work be filled with the Holy Spirit and truly transform the lives of those who receive the message communicated by the Daughters of St. Paul. Today, the Congregation is present in more than 50 countries, and we are known worldwide as the Paulines.
For each of us, Sr. Thecla Merlo lived a holy life. Indeed, the Church officially recognized her life of heroic virtue by proclaiming her Venerable in 1991.
Joana T. Puntel, fsp
Joana T. Puntel, fsp
