A new film about the life of Blessed Clelia Merloni will air on Catholic channels and streaming platforms in September.
The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a community of Catholic sisters, are delighted to announce that 100 Hearts – Betrayal and Forgiveness in the Life of Blessed Clelia Merloni will have its North American television and streaming debut in September. The film, which tells the story of the congregation’s foundress, will be available on select regional channels and streaming platforms (see listings below).
Produced by Fogo Multimedia in cooperation with the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the feature film, in Italian with English subtitles, dramatizes the inspiring life of Blessed Clelia Merloni, who founded the Apostles of the Sacred Heart in Viareggio, Italy, in 1894. She was beatified in Rome in 2018.
“We very much wanted this film produced so that the story of this woman who, like Mother Cabrini, was ahead of her time, could be better known,” emphasized Mother Miriam Cunha Sobrinha, Superior General of the congregation. “Mother Clelia speaks to each of us today. The challenges she faced, her faith, her convictions, and the values she lived, particularly forgiveness, can be a keystone for our times as well. We hope that telling Mother Clelia’s story will help raise awareness of the congregation she founded more than a century ago, and of the good works the Apostles of the Sacred Heart do to advance her mission of serving others through compassion — whether in education, healthcare or missionary activity.”
The film was written and directed by Paolo Damasso and features a cast of accomplished Italian actors, including Silvia Budri, Beatrice Fazi, Massimo Bonetti, Alessandro Costanzo, Remo Girone, and Pamela Villoressi. It was filmed in Rome and Alessandria and parallels real events of the life of Mother Clelia interwoven with a fictional present-day story.
“We wanted to tell a story from the past with a direct connection to life today, ” explains Damosso. “For this reason, I wrote two intertwining stories, one set at the beginning of the last century and the other in the present time, with the actors playing dual roles. At the center of it all are the human questions that remain the same throughout the centuries. Mother Clelia Merloni can offer some answers even today.”
Members of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus are available for interviews upon request.
Cable Air Dates:
- Salt+Light TV: Sunday, September 8 at 9:00 p.m. ET
- Shalom TV: Friday, September 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET
- Net-TV: Saturday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET
The film will also be available on the following streaming platforms:
- FORMED: Available starting Sunday, September 1
- Array of Hope: Available starting Sunday, September 15
About the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Founded by Blessed Clelia Merloni, the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus are consecrated women of the Church who share the love of Christ through active ministry in the areas of education, healthcare, social services, and pastoral and Diocesan leadership. The Apostles minister in five states and 15 countries. The United States Provincialate is located in Hamden, Connecticut.