LITTLE SISTERS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. - Founded in 1899 at Alessandria by Teresa Grillo-Michel, inspired by a visit to the Piccola Casa of s. G. B. Cottolengo in Turin.
She therefore founded at Alessandria, in imitation of it, the «Piccolo Ricovero», whose special purpose was the material and spiritual assistance of orphans and abandoned girls, the mentally deficient, epileptics, disabled elderly persons, incurably sick persons who could not be admitted to public charitable institutions; the care of the sick at home and in hospitals; the Christian education of children in infant schools, and of young girls in workshops and Sunday oratories. Overcoming many difficulties, the new Congregation developed especially in Latin America, Brazil and Argentina. On 5 July 1935 it obtained the decree of praise and temporary approval, and on 8 June 1942 definitive approval of the Constitutions. At present the Institute has 25 houses in Italy, 8 in Argentina, and 31 in Brazil, with 516 sisters.