The Founders of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Ann
Life of Carlo Tancredi and Giulia Colbert At a glance
Carlo Tancredi Falletti Marquis of Barolo, last descendant of Falletti di Barolo, a noble family of Piedmont, was born in Turin on 26
th October 1782.
Right from his youth, he distinguished himself for the intelligence, disposition towards justice, nobility of sentiments, concern for the needs of the times and strong tendency to promote and to do much good.
Giulia was born in the castle of Maulévrier, in the Vendee, France on 26
th June, 1786.
At the court of Napoleon he came to know Giulia Colbert, a woman gifted with exquisite femininity and genuine Spirituality.
They got married in the year 1806. Not having had the gift of children, the couple made themselves apostles of Christian Charity, “adopting” the poor of Turin so as to help them in their necessities. Thus they lived a spiritual maternity and paternity.
Carlo and Giulia realized that life and the immense wealth, they decided to serve the fulfillment of the providential plan of God to serve the poor and suffering .
Carlo and Giulia instituted in their palace ‘shelter rooms’, ‘kindergarten class rooms’ on the model of those already functioning in France.
They had thought of accepting the greatest number possible of male and female children, who were not yet of the age to attend the ordinary school. Until 1832 the teachers of the kindergarten were lay people; after that for a certain period the educative activity was entrusted to the sisters of Providence, a Congregation spiritually guided by Abbot Lowenbruck, a collaborator of Rosmini.
In 1834, Carlo Tancredi in agreement with his wife, founded the institute of sisters of St. Ann so that they might continue in the Church, this mission in service of the poor.
After the death of Carlo, it was Giulia who took over the task of getting the approval of the Constitution for the new born Congregation of the Sisters of St. Ann
Expansion:
The congregation further developed under the leadership of Mother
Mary Henrietta Dominici, S.S.A, who was elected as the
Superior General of the congregation in 1861 and served in that office until 1894.
Mother Enrichetta, as Superior general opened the Institute to the horizons of the mission ad gentes, sending the first six missionaries to India.They began their journey on 27
th January 1871 . On 19
th February they landed on Indian soil(Bombay).
Their first house was in
Secunderabad in
Andhra Pradesh, from which they began to expand to other parts of India.
Under her inspiration, the Sisters embraced the concept of worldwide service, they expanded to serve in various other countries. Philippines, UK, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Cameroon, United States, Brazil .
With the blessings of God the Indian Provinces grow in service of the little ones and the poor, flourished with many communities and good vocations.
As a part of expansion, S.S.A established an educational Institution in Gollapudi, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
In 1997 the Indian Province was divided into 3 Provinces.They are Central, North and South.
In 2018 Indian province is further divided into five Provinces.
S.S.A convent Gollapudi (Atkinson High School) has been chosen as Head Quarter for The Province of Immaculate Conception ( Eastern India ).
The mission in India has completed it’s Sesquicentennial Jubilee in the year 2021.
