Louis Guanella was born in the little town of Fraciscio in Northern Italy. In 1881, Fr. Louis founded the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence, with the collaboration of mind and heart of Mother Marcellina Bosatta, co-foundress, and her sister, Sister Clare Bosatta. 

The mission that began in the heart of Fr. Louis as a child slowly began to increase as he founded numerous houses for the poor, the abandoned and unwanted in Italy and Switzerland and throughout the World.

St. Louis Guanella established two religious congregations, the Daughters of St.Mary of Providence for women and the Servants of Charity for men and to carry on his mission. He also found a movement for the laity known as “Guanellian Cooperators and the Guanellian Lay Movement. Together with the daughters of St Mary of Providence and Servants of Charity, they move with his charism and are a part of the Guanellian family.

He died on October 24, 1915, was beatified on October 24, 1964 and canonized on October 23,2011.