The Story

La nostra storia di Piccole Missionarie del Sacro Cuore inizia 100 anni fa. La data di erection is June 23, 1922. In 1950 we received the decree of “Congregation Of Pontifical Right.”.

Our Foundress, Mother Clotilde Gigli, originaria di Empoli, era membro della Congregazione Francese delle  Suore di San Giuseppe dell’Apparizione.

Servì sia come insegnante a Malta che in Tunisia come infermiera, ma a causa di una malattia dovette tornare in Italia e per ristabilirsi in salute fu inviata ad Antignano.

Here he met Msgr. Melani, pastor of the Pieve, who urged her to ask her congregation to work in the parish and care for the children and young people who, left to their own devices, were swarming in stretches of the sea.

After various vicissitudes in 1914 with other two nuns decided to stay in Antignano and continue the apostolate he had started in 1910.

This caused them to break away from the congregation where they had lived with love and dedication but which did not accept Mother Clotilde's desire to devote herself to children, young people and the humble apostolate in the parish.

The three sisters led a very simple life alternating prayer with educating the little ones, embroidery work with the young girls and visiting the sick. In the parish, in addition to teaching catechism, preparing all liturgical feasts, they were responsible for keeping the sacristy, the custody of the sacred vestments and decorations for the feasts.

Obbedienti al Vescovo Mons. Piccioni, tentarono di aggregarsi ad altri Istituti esistenti a Livorno ma con esito negativo. Mons. Melani sostenne le suore durante tutto il tempo del discernimento fino alla configurazione del nuovo Istituto, that since 1916 after the opening in the house of the first center of the Apostleship of Prayer, the
sisters chose the name of “LITTLE MISSIONARIES OF THE SACRED HEART”.. 

English Text Translation (The Story)