Night of Light

The Pauline Family

The ten institutes of the Pauline Family founded by Blessed James Alberione now have over 11,000 members worldwide:     

• Society of St. Paul—August 20, 1914
• Daughters of St. Paul—June 15, 1915
• Association of Pauline Cooperators—June 30, 1917
• Sister Disciples of the Divine Master—February 10, 1924
• Sisters of the Good Shepherd—October 7, 1938
• Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles—June 20, 1958
• Institute of St. Gabriel the Archangel—April 8, 1960 (received papal approval)
• Institute of Mary of the Annunciation—April 8, 1960 (received papal approval)
• Institute of Jesus the Priest—April 8, 1960 (received papal approval)
• Institute of the Holy Family—June 19, 1982 (received papal approval)

Daughters of St. Paul

Pauline Cooperators

Present throughout the world, the Pauline Cooperators are mainly laity who live in communion with the Pauline Family. They live the Pauline spirit and cooperate in the Pauline mission with their prayer, gifts, and talents—growing in holiness and evangelizing today's communication culture. Scattered over many nations and cultures, the Cooperators are united in their commitment to communicate hope in Jesus Christ using all the means of social communication.    

Early Milestones

On October 28, 1928, the sisters received the religious habit and wore it for the first time. On March 15, 1929, the Daughters of St. Paul received diocesan approval.“The firm basis which Mother Thecla gave to the Congregation was manifested in great balance. She gave careful attention to the apostolate but with equal energy she cared for the religious and communitarian life of the sisters and for their prayer life, according to the ‘four wheels’ indicated by the Founder: piety, study, apostolate and poverty.” – Mother Ignazia Balla                        

With the Church

“We must be at the side of the Pope in the apostolate so as to repeat what he teaches with the media that the Lord has given us. These are the means…press, film, radio, television, and in general the technical media of social communication. We are to be at the Pope’s side in his actions, to be at his service, to be at the side of the bishops and priests, to be of service, that is, in obedience to and collaboration with the Church.” – Blessed James Alberione 

Their Classroom Is the World

During Mother Thecla’s lifetime, the Daughters of St. Paul opened new foundations in 22 countries.“The modern media are the quickest, most vast and effective means of reaching souls. Truly, you have a great vocation. So, if you increase in number, cling to your Pauline spirit, and, animated by the spirit of St. Paul, strive to establish yourselves in one nation after another. You will hasten the reign of God, expand the Church, and lead souls to Jesus Christ, their salvation.” – Blessed James Alberione 

Pauline Pioneers

“Give Wings and Feet to the Gospel!”

Mother Thecla made several other visits to the United States. In 1949 she accompanied the Founder on a round-the-world journey to India, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, and the United States.

“There are so many souls who await salvation, and those working for the Gospel are few. Just think, half of the people of the world do not yet know God.” – Venerable Mother Thecla Merlo                                                                 

“Do the Most Good”

Abuna Messias received an award at the Venice Film Festival. Especially with new initiatives such as the film apostolate, Mother Thecla offered Father Alberione attentive support, promoting all his directives. She encouraged her sisters to make use of every modern means for carrying out the Pauline mission: “Bring to souls what will do them the most good, whether by means of the press, cinema, radio, or any other instrument [of communication].” 

Founded in Faith

After they purchased their first convent in Staten Island, NY, in 1937, and established their first novitiate in Derby, NY in 1949, the Daughters of St. Paul continued expanding across the USA and Canada with their book and media centers and adjoining chapels and convents. Currently, the Pauline sisters evangelize at Pauline Book & Media Centers in: 
Dedham, MA  *  Manhattan, NY * Alexandria, VA  *  Charleston, SC  *  Miami, FL  *  Metairie, LA  *  San Antonio, TX  *  Chicago, IL  *  St. Louis, MO  *  Los Angeles, CA  *  Redwood City, CA  *  San Diego, CA  *  Honolulu, HI  *  Toronto, ON, Canada                

That Everyone Be Saved

“The mission of the Daughters of St. Paul is this: to diffuse the truth. You must fulfill, according to the Pauline spirit, what Jesus Christ our Lord desires: that all will come to the truth. For God wants everyone to be saved, and to be saved they must know the truth, that is, the doctrine contained in the Gospel as taught by the Church. Your ministry is a Pauline ministry. What was the mission of St. Paul? Precisely this: to give the world what he had received from God, from Jesus Christ. And what did he receive from Jesus Christ? The Light!” – Blessed James Alberione Founder                                            

To the Great White North

“Opening new houses in a relatively quick time period witnessed to the fact that the institute was rapidly growing in personnel and consequently in apostolic activities. This could be seen in the founding of typographies abroad and the mission of diffusing the Word of God carried out in the forms most adapted to each nation.”  – Mother Ignazia Balla, first Superior General of the Daughters of St. Paul after Mother Thecla Merlo                                                                           

In the Will of God

“It is with great joy that I communicate this news to you and I am sure that it will cause you also to rejoice. Let us, therefore, burst forth with a heartfelt ‘Thanks be to God!’ Let us rejoice because today, with the certainty that comes with official recognition by the Church, we can say: we are in the will of God. The path we are following is that which will lead us to sanctity.” – Venerable Mother Thecla Merlo        

Spirit of St. Paul

Media at the Service of Humanity

“The Church recognizes that these media, if properly utilized, can be of great service to mankind, since they greatly contribute to men's entertainment and instruction as well as to the spread and support of the Kingdom of God…. The Catholic Church, since it was founded by Christ our Lord to bear salvation to all men and thus is obliged to preach the Gospel, considers it one of its duties to announce the Good News of salvation also with the help of the media of social communication and to instruct men in their proper use.” – Inter Mirifica, #2-3  This decree profoundly affirmed the Pauline mission and the Founder’s lifetime dedication.    

All for God’s Glory

Mother Thecla Merlo was declared “Venerable” on January 22, 1991. “Mother Thecla saw everything in God, as coming from God, ordained by God; all her actions were directed toward the glory of God. When a soul reaches this point it is ready to enter heaven, because heaven is the glorification of God. Hers was a contemplative soul; she prayed continuously and found union with the Lord anywhere and everywhere… The sole purpose of her existence was to promote God’s glory.”   – Blessed James Alberione 

Heart of St. Paul

“In the heart of that chosen priest from the diocese of Alba beats once again the heart of the Apostle Paul who, won over by Christ, sought to announce him as ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life.’ Attentive to the signs of the times, Father Alberione did not only open the modern ‘pulpits’ of the media to evangelization, but conceived of his work as an organic action in the Church and at her service. – St. John Paul II    

Media at the Service of the Gospel

Earlier in the 1960s, the Daughters of St. Paul in the U.S. began audiovisual production with slide shows, filmstrips, and, in early 1970, their first animated 16mm film, God’s Rules for Me. In the 1980s, the Pauline Video Department produced dozens of home videos and Catholic cable TV programs. Today the sisters continue to strive to present the Word of God in image, sound, and story to touch the hearts and minds of people of all ages, so that they may come to experience Christ and his message of truth and hope in their lives.      

Pauline Music

The three films that used songs from the Daughters of St. Paul Choir’s albums are: Lorenzo's Oil, A Bronx Tale, and Noel. The choir’s popular annual Christmas concert tour brings families and friends together through both holy and joyful music. With their Pauline music, the choir wants to touch the hearts of listeners, inspiring in them a thirst for the true, good, and beautiful. Through music’s universal language, Pauline Music seeks to create a spiritual oasis of peace, hope and joy, where people can connect more profoundly with God, who is love.                                                                               

True Pauline Apostle

“Practically penniless and with few friends, Mother Paula, trusting in the Providence of God, initiated a Catholic educational program through the distribution of books and pamphlets ultimately throughout our nation. Only the persistent perseverance of a saintly and great soul like Sister Paula, dedicated to the spread of Christ’s teaching, could accomplish what is known today as the mission of the Daughters of St. Paul in America.” – Patrick Cardinal O’Boyle      

Announcing Good News

“Set up Catholic stations and increase religious broadcasts to gradually permeate the world of radio broadcasting in such a way that ordinary programs reflect Catholic tastes and thought. To this end we need executives, technicians and writers who are trained in a Catholic way. Provide content that is refined and noble, that our faith offers us: Catholic dogma, morals and worship.” – Blessed James Alberione               

Centenary of Mother Thecla’s Birth

The missionary project launched in 1994 commemorated the centenary of the birth of Venerable Mother Thecla Merlo. The Daughters of St. Paul began new foundations in these countries: Romania, Czech Republic, South Africa, Zambia, Russia, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Singapore, Paraguay, Angola, and the Ivory Coast. Later, they were able to open in South Sudan and Mozambique. On February 20, 2015, the Daughters opened a new foundation in Malawi. The Pauline sisters in troubled parts of the world sometimes risk their lives for the love of the Gospel and the people they serve. 

Media Mindfulness

The Pauline Center for Media Studies focuses on developing and encouraging media literacy and media mindfulness within the context of culture, education and faith formation. Because we live in a world shaped by media values, messages and technologies, media literacy is imperative in educational and faith formation today. Media mindfulness uses critical thinking skills to question the media in a faith context, discerning the values and ideologies of media messages and engaging them with the values of Jesus.                      

Apostolic Hearts

Paolinas Distribuidora provides Catholic books in Spanish to the general public, but also to Catholic and Christian bookstores all over the USA and Canada.    

“The heart of an apostle must embrace all mankind—the faithful and non-believers, those who have accepted Jesus and those who do not yet know him. Insofar as it depends on you, strive to give Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, to everyone!” – Blessed James Alberione                                                                              

Bring the Gospel of Love

In addition to Pauline Books & Media’s remarkable line of children’s catechetical resources, JClub offers children Catholic books and media that reflect a positive worldview, foster Catholic values, promote human dignity, and share our Catholic faith in Jesus Christ.  

Technology at the Service of the Gospel

Recognizing that the great digital continent involves not only technology but is made up of real men and women who bring their hopes, sufferings and concerns, in the pursuit of truth and goodness, the sisters expanded their digital presence with an online store, eBooks, apps, streaming and downloadable music, digital magazines, video streaming, audio books, and blogs. They are looking forward to beginning e-courses and podcasting.

Ever Onward

“Ever onward!  According to the motto of our Father St. Paul: ‘I strain forward.’ Ever onward! You have reached all continents; yet, as you go from one nation to another, or fly over mountains in a plane, or cross oceans, do not speak about what has been done. Move on toward eternity. Ever onward, Daughters of St. Paul! Advance toward holiness. You live in the world, but you are not of the world. You work in the world, but you wait until heaven for your reward. Bearers of Christ…living and active members of the Church… Onward! Bring the truth in love!” – Blessed James Alberione.