History

During the political revolt that marked the reign of Pope Pius IX, Fr. Carlo Cavina greatly felt the need of providing Christian education to the youth especially the girls. With this in mind, in 1868 he purchased a small house in Lugo and named it, “The Little House of St. Joseph” as a sign of his trust in the providential care. Fr. Carlo Cavina placed a crucifix on its wall with the caption that later became the motto of the Congregation he founded: “Wherever the Cross touches it flourishes”.

In order to run this school he sought assistance of 2 sisters belonging to the Congregation of the “Sisters of Charity of St. Antida Thouret”: Sr. Teresa Fantoni and Sr. Luisa Montanari. Within no time the school began to flourish and eventually 2 young girls of Lugo, Rosa Nenci and Amalia Manzoni expressed their desire to become religious and to be part of the “Little House” and they were accepted. However, due to some misunderstandings their Mother General, Sr. Carolina Chambrò, fearing the abandonment of the rule by the nuns to a new Congregation, decided to intervene personally to resolve the ambiguous situation. She did this on 23 August 1872, arriving unexpectedly in Lugo. She immediately took 2 sisters to the Bishop of Imola. Bishop Tesorieri, who knew very well of all the undertakings of Fr. Carlo Cavina, tried first of all to reduce Mother Chambrò s resentment by explaining Fr. Carlo’s good intentions and the circumstances that had prompted him in his plan. Nevertheless, Mother Chambrò had the last word: “either here or there”, to leave the Congregation, or to remain at the Little House. The poor sisters looked at the Bishop. He told them, “Go and do the will of God”. Thus, with this mandate of the Church in the person of Bishop Luigi Tesorieri on that tempestuous evening of 23 August 1872, a new religious family was born in the Church. And from that moment, without wanting or seeking it, Fr. Carlo Cavina became its Founder, Sr. Teresa Fantoni the Co-Foundress and Sr. Luisa Montanari her collaborator.