### MISSIONARIE ZELATRICI DEL SACRO CUORE
The Institute was founded in 1894 by Sister Clelia Merloni, with the purpose of propagating devotion to the Sacred Heart and engaging in various charitable works. The first house was opened in Viareggio, but it had to close due to financial difficulties.
The foundress, along with some sisters, withdrew to Alessandria, while others were sent to Piacenza at the invitation of the local Ordinary. Meanwhile, she worked to pay off the debts of the Viareggio house. The generalate was then established in Piacenza, and the Constitutions were approved by a decree of the bishop on June 10, 1900. The Institute thus recovered, and Bishop Scalabrini thought of using it for his work on behalf of emigrants.
At the death of Bishop Scalabrini (June 1, 1905), the work faced a new crisis. A lengthy apostolic visitation, concluded in 1918, reorganized the Institute, whose generalate was then transferred to Rome. On July 16, 1921, the Sacred Congregation of Religious granted the decree of praise and established the current title of the Institute.
The Constitutions were first approved on March 24, 1931, and definitively on October 17, 1941.
The sisters dedicate themselves to the education of youth in schools, kindergartens, boarding schools, and orphanages, as well as to the care of the sick in hospitals, clinics, and hospices.
Currently, there are 1,826 sisters and 119 novices, distributed across 193 houses.
The original title was “Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Later, the title “Missionaries” was added. They are commonly called “Claretians,” from the name of their founder. The abbreviation is: C.M.F. (Cordis Mariae Filius).
They were founded on July 16, 1849, in Vic (Spain), by St. Anthony Mary Claret together with Giuseppe Xifré, Giacomo Clotet, Stefano Sala, Domenico Fábregas, and Emanuele Vilarò.
The purpose of the new foundation is thus defined in the Constitutions: “to seek everywhere the glory of God, the sanctification of its members, and the salvation of souls throughout the world” (Constitutions, ch. 1, no. 2). In harmony with this ideal, the Institute embraces practically all activities: popular missions among the faithful, evangelization in mission countries, the dissemination of the divine word through all oral and written means, the direction of seminaries, teaching in colleges, etc. The founder’s idea was to establish a true religious congregation, but the laws then in force in Spain did not allow its legal existence. On October 9, 1860, Pius IX approved the new Institute, and on November 21, it received the decree of praise. The Constitutions were approved “ad experimentum” in 1865; definitively in 1870; and, after adaptation to the Code, in 1924. In addition to the Constitutions, the Institute has a legislative “corpus” titled Codex Iuris Additicii, which condenses the customary law, traditions, and spirit of the Congregation.
As regards territory, the Institute is divided into major and minor organisms. The former include provinces and quasi-provinces, which may be independent or dependent on another province, visitations (also independent or dependent), and missions. Minor organisms are houses (domus formata), residences (domus non formata but with a certain stability), and quasi-residences (domus non formata without stability). The assistances encompass more than one major organism.
The Institute is governed by a Superior General and five consultors or general councilors, elected by the General Chapter, who serve for twelve years. Each councilor represents one of the aforementioned assistances in the general council. Moreover, the general consultors head the so-called “general prefectures,” which oversee various aspects of internal governance (general prefectures of government, observance, studies, missions, ministries). The curial officials are the Procurator, Economist, and General Secretary, also elected by the General Chapter. The provinces are governed by a Provincial, assisted by councilors elected by the general council and serving for six years. The quasi-provinces and visitations are governed by a quasi-provincial and visitor, appointed by the general government if independent, or by the respective major superior if dependent. Houses and residences have a local superior appointed by the major superior for a triennium; quasi-residences have a delegate of the superior on whom they depend.
In the hundred years of its existence, the Institute has spread to Spain (four provinces), France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Poland, England. Africa: Canary Islands, São Tomé and Príncipe (Portuguese), Spanish continental and insular Guinea. America: United States, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Cuba, and Santo Domingo. Asia: China, Philippine Islands.
At present, there are 18 provinces, quasi-provinces, and visitations; 234 houses, residences, and quasi-residences; 2,610 professed members; 200 novices; and 1,380 postulants.
Ignazio Ting Pong Lee