Story
Mons. Amilcare Boccio
Founder and “Father” of the Little Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he began the foundational project of our Congregation on March 25, 1924, the Solemnity of the Annunciation in Sale / AL (Italy).
The Mother
Mother Guglielmina Remotti, “the very first and solid pillar of the Work of Love”, accepted the Father’s invitation to “assist him in the foundation”.
The original community
Guglielmina Remotti, Ines Goggi (1891-1979), Teresa Soncini (1899-1991) and Pierina Leoni (1898-1989), constituted the original community, called: “Victims of love for the Triumph of the Merciful Love of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus”.
Son of humble origins
Amilcare Agostino Boccio was born in Sale on March 12, 1891, the firstborn of a family of modest means. His father, Angelo (1868-1918), sweet, serene and optimistic, in his hard work as a blacksmith was a model of strength and sacrifice for love. His mother, Giuseppina Pasino (1868-1944), a silk spinner, a strong and determined woman, of lively and ardent faith, taught him to “pray always” and to “love God and neighbor”; from her he learned to trust in the Sacred Heart and in Mary, to adore the Eucharist and to esteem Priests.
The first great desire
Amilcare, still a child, sometimes served Mass to Saint Luigi Orione (1872-1940), who, speaking of the Sacred Heart, often repeated: “He is hungry for souls and thirsty for love”. These words arouse in Amilcare's heart the immediate desire to respond to Love with love: "Oh, Lord, if only I could take away this hunger and this thirst!".
Minor Seminary
On December 2, 1902, he enters the minor seminary in Stazzano and reveals himself to be "all love of God and study".
The decisive call
On February 2, 1911, in the chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the major seminary in Tortona, Amilcare receives and welcomes the "first great grace" of his call: Christ, "with a powerful voice and a transforming action", takes him "totally into His Heart".
He responds with an "unreserved "yes" and sacrifices his passion for music with the motto: "May I live only to love you and to make you loved".
A clear orientation
In that same year, reading the life of Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), the Father feels the invitation to follow her, to lead souls on the path of trust, simplicity and love.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart
Amilcare, fascinated since childhood by the life of the martyrs, at twenty years old, following the example of Blessed Theophane Vénard (1829-1861), dreams of being a missionary in distant lands. The ardent desire to do only the will of God leads him to discover his “special vocation”. On August 16, 1911, the Holy Spirit inspires in him the first thought of the “practice of union with God”. Then the devotion to the Sacred Heart grows “immensely” in him and on August 26, 1912, together with some clerics, he begins the new association.
Early years of priesthood
Amilcare was ordained a priest on July 5, 1914 by the Auxiliary Bishop, Mgr. Pietro Andrea Viganó (1858-1922), in the church of S. Simone in Tortona, at the end of the episcopate of Mgr. Igino Bandi (1847-1914). When the First World War broke out, he was called to arms. As a young chaplain “of deep, lively and heartfelt faith,” he aroused the admiration, respect and affection of all, and on December 12, 1917, in a furious battle, he was seriously wounded.
Meetings with personalities of his time
The consecration of the soldiers to the Sacred Heart allows the Father to meet the Servant of God, Armida Barelli (1882-1952), future president of the Italian Catholic Women's Youth, Father Agostino Gemelli (1878-1959), future founder of the Catholic University, Father Giovanni Rossi (1887-1975), who will found the association pro Civitate Christiana in 1939, Father Giovanni Semeria (1867-1931) and Father Minozzi (1884-1954) who will start the National Work in favor of War Orphans.
The first great light
On January 4, 1918, during his convalescence in Busto Arsizio (MI), the Father, absorbed in prayer, has “the first great light” “on what the Sacred Heart wants for our times”: “generous souls” who cooperate “in the establishment of his Kingdom of mercy”. It is the call to spread the “practice of union with God”.
On the same day, the Father communicates the “practice of union” to the Sisters of Charity of the hospital of Busto Arsizio. In the following days, he writes to Guglielmina Remotti, tells her about his inspiration and invites her to become a zealot of the new “apostolate of spiritual charity”.
Inspirer of the Congregation
Transferred to the “S. Corona” hospital in Milan, in the first ten days of February, he rereads Story of a Soul and has the “first clear thought” on our Congregation.
Don Amilcare sees in the offering of Therese of the Child Jesus, as a “Holocaust Victim to the Merciful Love of the Good God” the “characteristic sign of the new Institution”. For this reason, the teacher of the “little way” is considered “the inspiration of the Opera” and “our first sister”.The first meetings in Sale
While the Father was still at the front, in the spring of 1919, Guglielmina Remotti organized the first meetings in Sale of the young women interested in the “practice of union” to make known the meaning of “Victim of Love”.
The project matured in prayer
After the war, Monsignor Simon Pietro Grassi (1856-1934) entrusted Don Amilcare with the role of spiritual director in the minor seminary of Stazzano, a task that allowed him long periods of prayer and reflection.
In Sale, the meetings between the members became more and more frequent: evening meetings, sometimes held by Guglielmina, sometimes by Don Boccio.
The audience with Pope Pius XI
In the autumn of 1922, the future Founder went to Rome to ask for approval and indulgences for the “practice of union”.
Having invoked Mary, Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, and having promised her special veneration, on September 12 he was received in audience by Pius XI (1922-1939) and received special blessings on his “intentions”. The written approval is dated September 27, 1922.922.
The beginning in Little Bethlehem
On March 25, 1924, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, in the paternal home of Guglielmina, called from then on “Little Bethlehem”, our first four sisters, before Jesus-Eucharist, offered themselves totally to divine Mercy. They pronounced the vows of chastity and obedience, of “special consecration to the Sacred Heart for His nearest triumph” and the promise of poverty.
The Erection of the Institute
On the Solemnity of the Annunciation, in 1934, the new community was erected as a religious Institute with the Decree of diocesan approval and with it received the name of: Little Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Decretum Laudis
On February 21, 1956, the Holy See issued the Decree of praise to the Congregation and approved the Constitutions «ad experimentum», for 5 years. The Little Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, born in Sale (AL / Italy), were thus recognized as an Institute of pontifical right.