Who is the Virgin of the Poor?

Who is the Virgin of the Poor?

Today, 28 years after Fr. Al’s passing and four more countries later, World Villages for Children and the Sisters of Mary are rededicating its mission to the Virgin of the Poor and want to invite all those who would like to participate in a community of prayer to join...
Where Are Our Fr. Al’s

Where Are Our Fr. Al’s

Catholic churches are being set on fire in various parts of the world, while statues of saints have been pulled down or undergone desecration. Some Masses have recently been interrupted by individuals who’ve walked onto the altar without restraint. Sacrilege has taken...
His Lingering Presence

His Lingering Presence

At the closing of his life, when his diseased body was days from surrendering its long fight with ALS, Fr. Al’s thoughts were on his Carmelite muse. With his eternal homeland in view, his thoughts on his withered body, wracked pain and fear of choking to death were...
The Resounding Echo

The Resounding Echo

As the crow flies in Washington D.C., Ven. Al Schwartz and Msgr. Thomas Wells grew up in homes eight miles apart. They may have played each other’s Little League baseball teams and sat down for a vanilla milkshake on the same Hot Shoppes’ swivel barstool off Rte. 202....
Graffiti of the Soul

Graffiti of the Soul

Much of my May was spent in harmonious fields of resurrected joy, Mexico’s Boystown and Girlstown. Within a day or two of waving my happy goodbyes to the Sisters of Mary and their thousands of spiritual sons and daughters, graffiti, fires and sirens became the...
Chalco C19

Chalco C19

SISTERS OF MARY SUMMON FR. AL’S TOUGHNESS TO BEAT THE VIRUS By Kevin Wells CHALCO, Mexico – It is during these virus-plagued days that Sr. Margie Cheong brings to memory summer evenings from long ago. She’d join Fr. Al and a few other Sisters of Mary on a wide...

Learn more about the children

The children at our schools come from the poorest of the poor. Each child has their own stories of what their life was before coming to our schools and how their lives are being transformed by the Sisters of Mary programs.  Read the moving stories of our children in their own words. 

Meet Our Graduates

There are 160,000+  graduates from the Sisters of Mary Schools. Many of our graduates went on to live prosperous lives, helping their families and local communities. Read the inspiring stories of our graduates in their own words. 

Life At Our Villages

Learn more about how we help children break free from a life of poverty.