Rosalia Sismonda was born in Turin on 21st January 1846 in a well-to-do family. She is the neice, on her father’s side, of Don Stefano Sismonda, the parish priest of Sciolze, in the province of Turin.
She is very frail, well-educated, although she has never attended any particular school and is very skilled in drawing, painting and embroidery.
For all of her life Rosalia is particularly attracted to the word of God. She follows the sermon with great attention and, sometimes, goes to ask the priest for an explanation on the homily.
She is particularly struck by the preaching of Don Clemente Marchisio.
The prayer, meditations and reflections upon the sermons of the Blessed Marchisio have a great influence on her and lead her to intensely desire to embrace religious life. She confides her desire to Don Clemente, who has great esteem for Rosalia. She will become his right hand.
On the 12th November 1875, in a small house in Rivalba, four girls issue private vows without wearing any particular uniform, starting the future Congregation of the Daughters of St. Joseph, under the guidance of their parish priest. Meanwhile, Rosalia tells her parents about her desire to enter the Clarisse monastery in Turin. Her father denies his consent. It is the 7th August 1876 when the thirty-year-old Rosalia arrives at Rivalba, on the feast day of St. Gaetano Thiene, called the saint of Providence. This coincidence does not escape the founder’s notice and he wants Saint Gaetano to be among the patrons of the Institute. Rosalia wants to be an example for all and submits, even though she has been designated as a guide and a teacher of the small community, to the most humble and tiring jobs.
She is simple and relaxed, thoughtful and understanding. These are the features that distinguish her and for which she attracts everyone’s esteem and affection. It is Rosalia, the co-founder of the Institution, who will make up the first religious habit of the Daughters of St. Joseph. At this point she returns to Turin, assigned to the Institution with premises that were about to be opened in the city. She is happy to go for two reasons. First of all because she was born there and also because she will be closer to her father.
Her religious life in Turin is spent in prayer, work and silence just as it was in Rivalba.
On the 1st September 1891 Don Clemente accompanies Sister Rosalia to Venice where she is elected Custodian of the new House and on the occasion receives the praises of Saint Pius X who says: “We would be blessed if all the religious women were like the Daughters of Saint Joseph”. Back in Rivalba, at the beginning of December 1903 she realizes that her strength is leaving her and has to stay in bed.
At 9 p.m. on the 14th of December two sisters inform their founding father that Sister Rosalia has had a massive heart attack and wishes to see him. Don Clemente is ill himself and says he cannot face the uphill to the castle of Rivalba where she lives. Nobody has the heart to tell the Sister that Don Clemente is also ill. She will receive her last absolution and blessing just before her death at about three in the morning. Father Marchisio will die soon after at 5,30.
Sister Rosalia’s funeral is held privately at the castle of Rivalba on the 17th of December. In addition to the sisters, only a few relatives and villagers are present. The rest of the people are all at Don Clemente Marchisio’s funeral. Even his remains, buried in the cemetery, over the years, will be lost. This will be an extreme sign of his profound humility which was one of his features throughout his entire life.