The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus were founded in Viareggio, Italy, in 1894 by Clelia Merloni. Clelia propelled the life of the Apostles into the heart of the Church by dedicating the Congregation to the loving Heart of Jesus. The motto of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: The Love of Christ Impels Us, summarizes the moving force of their lives. Apostles spread devotion to the Sacred Heart by lives of compassion and holiness. As consecrated women of the Church, they imitate the life of Christ in the world today through education, health care, pastoral ministry, social services, human development, and missionary activity. An international Congregation, they serve in Italy, Albania, Switzerland, Chile, Mexico, Benin, Mozambique, Taiwan, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Haiti, the Philippines, and the United States.