19^th January 2024 – 160^th Anniversary of the Birth into Heaven

of our Foundress, Venerable Giulia Colbert

Our hearts are full of gratitude towards God for the gift of our Foundress, Venerable Giulia Colbert of Barolo. On this happy day, we, Sisters of St. Ann from all parts of the world, feel fully united with the Daughters of Jesus the Good Shepherd, with the pupils and teachers of our Schools in Turin and the surrounding areas and with our friends who had the joy of participating in the Holy Mass of Thanksgiving. The Eucharistic celebration was be celebrated in the Church of St. Giulia, dedicated to the Martyr of the same name, where Giulia’s mortal remains rest together with those of her husband, our Founder Carlo Tancredi of Barolo.

And we wish to remember them precisely together, as we give thanks to God for the advancement of their Process of Beatification. On the occasion of the conference, recently organized in Rome by the Countess Elena Falletti of Villafalletti, a distant relative of Carlo Tancredi, in collaboration with the “Piemontesiaroma” Association and the Sisters of St. Ann, their extraordinary modernity and fruitfulness was recalled, according to the theme of the conference: Carlo Tancredi Falletti and Giulia Colbert, the Marquises of Barolo, a couple of extraordinary modernity in Nineteenth-century ,Turin”.

The event was held in Rome on 13^th November 2023, in the conference hall of the Institute of the Sacred Heart in Piazza Trinità de’ Monti, with the participation of a large audience, including some Sisters from the  Communities of Generalate and  Viale Marconi.

First of all, the richness and variety of the talks was appreciated. After the greeting from the President of the “Piemontesiaroma” Association, Enrico Mordelli, the Professors Enrico Genta Ternavasio and Gustavo Mola di Nomaglio depicted a picture full of interesting aspects on the social, political, religious and juridical situation of the early Nineteenth century, as well as on the life and works of Carlo Tancredi and Giulia. This permitted the participants, not only to have a complete and multifaceted image of the last Marquises of Barolo, but also to fully understand their extraordinary modernity.

Then, Fr. Vittorio Bernardi, from Mondovì, the founder of the Home “St. Ann’s Refuge” in Rome, for abandoned mothers and children, highlighted how the Barolo couple anticipated their times by many years, with ideas and values which can still be considered relevant today.

He shared that he had “encountered” Carlo Tancredi and his wife Juliette Colbert as a child, thanks to his maternal grandparents. As he grew up he “discovered” many other things, which speak of their holiness, especially as a married couple, so different and yet so united in mutual love and active faith. Both of them were convinced that humanity was created by God to be happy and that everyone has the moral duty to do everything they can to help others reach this goal.

The speakers stressed the importance the couple had for the city of Turin and for Piedmont, contributing to improving their lives through the realization of important infrastructural works, often covering the expenses with their personal assets.
They did not forget to mention the foundation of the Institutes of the Sisters of St. Ann and of the Penitent Sisters of St. Mary Magdalene (now the Daughters of Jesus the Good Shepherd), called to give continuity to their works, thus keeping the Barolian Charism alive.

At this point Sr. Felicia who was present was invited to address the gathering and she was able to testify not only to the extraordinary modernity, but also to the extraordinary fruitfulness of our Founders. She also recalled that the Barolo couple are now Venerable, which means that the heroic practice of the theological and cardinal virtues, as well as other related virtues, has been recognized in both of them. Explaining that the next step will be their beatification as a couple, she encouraged everyone to imitate them, to make them known and ask the Lord for a miracle through their intercession.

She concluded with the hope that the memory of their great mutual love, founded on the love of God and overflowing towards those most in need, might be a light and strength on our path to holiness.

This grace was asked through their intercession, imploring it all together with the prayer, recently composed by the Sisters of St. Ann along with the Daughters of Jesus the Good Shepherd, which had been distributed previously.

Link for the Prayer

It was a beautiful experience to learn more about the context in which our Founders lived, heard and responded to the call of the Lord, faithfully living their vocation as a couple and as citizens. Another very enriching aspect for the young Sisters was the opportunity to meet the Countess Elena Falletti, and Madame Marie-Laurence, a distant descendant of Giulia, who came from France to participate in this conference. It was like feeling our Founders present among us through these members of their family.

We also have the joy of publishing, as a welcome surprise, on this Anniversary, a souvenir photo taken at the end of the meeting. In the photo, besides the Sisters of St. Ann, we can also see our dear friends: the Countess Elena Falletti and Madame Marie-Laurence. All praise and glory to God!