Founder & History
Meet our founder, Father Al
Aloysius Schwartz was the founder of Sisters of Mary World Villages for Children and the Sisters of Mary. Affectionately known as “Father Al,” he became a Champion of the Poor and a spiritual father to countless children. Through our Villages, the Boystowns and Girlstowns worldwide, he transformed lives and gave hope to children living in extreme poverty.
Father Al’s Life
A Saint in the Making
From a young age, Aloysius Schwartz felt called to serve God in the poor. Born on September 18, 1930, in Washington, D.C., he grew up with a desire to become a priest and missionary. He would dedicate his life to serving the poor. In 1944, he entered St. Charles Seminary in Maryland to begin his religious education. Then, he earned a BA degree from Maryknoll College. Later, he decided to go to Belgium to advance his theological training at The Catholic University of Louvain. There, he fully prepared himself for his mission of service to those in need.
Beyond his studies, Aloysius Schwartz lived his mission through acts of charity. While in Europe, he was further inspired to dedicate his priesthood to the service of the poor. Consequently, he spent his free time helping ragpickers as a seminarian. This desire deepened after his pilgrimage to Banneux, where the Virgin of the Poor appeared. There, he renewed his commitment to serve the poor, inspired by Mary’s message.
In 1957, Father Al was ordained a diocesan priest. Later that year, his bishop assigned him to Busan, South Korea. There, he witnessed the devastating effects of the Korean War. In 1961, he incorporated a U.S.-based nonprofit to support his missionary projects, naming it Korean Relief. Recognizing the need for help, he founded the Sisters of Mary in 1964.
Thanks to financial contributions from friends and benefactors, Father Al built the first Village for Children in South Korea. In these Boystowns and Girlstowns, he and the Sisters of Mary cared for orphans and abandoned children. They provided shelter, education, and hope to children trapped in extreme poverty. Father Al also built hospitals, TB sanatoriums, and hospices for homeless men, elderly, disabled children, and unwed mothers.
September 18, 1930 - Birth of Aloysius Schwartz
Born in Washington, D.C., to Louis F. Schwartz and Cedelia A. Bourassa.
June 29, 1957 - Ordination to Priesthood
Ordained a diocesan priest at St. Martin’s Church in Washington, D.C., by Auxiliary Bishop McNamara.
December 8, 1957 - Father Al arrives in South Korea
Upon arriving in South Korea, Father Al Schwartz was incardinated into the Diocese of Busan.
August 15, 1964 - The Sisters of Mary are founded
Originally called the Mariahwe Sisters, this religious congregation now numbers over 370 Sisters. Today, they serve in South Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras and Tanzania.
Father Al diagnosed with ALS
During a visit to the US, doctors diagnosed Father Al with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
March 16, 1992 - Father Al dies of ALS
Before he passed away, Father Al named Sister Michaela Kim of the Sisters of Mary as his successor.
December 10, 2003 - Cause for beatification & canonization is opened
The Archdiocesan Process for the Beatification and Canonization of Father Al Schwartz was opened at the Manila Cathedral in the Philippines.
January 22, 2015 - Father Al is named Venerable
Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to declare Aloysius Schwartz “Venerable.” This decree recognized Father Al’s heroic virtue, and advanced his journey toward sainthood.
In 1985, Father Al Schwartz expanded his mission to the Philippines. However, in 1989, doctors diagnosed him with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Father Al embraced his terminal illness with joy and serenity, viewing it as a gift from God. In 1990, despite his declining health, he went on to establish the first Village for Children in Mexico.
With humility and unwavering faith, Father Al endured criticism and suffering to serve God through the poor. Although immobile due to his illness, he continued to fulfill his duties joyfully, even from a wheelchair.
Father Al passed away at the Girlstown in Manila in 1992 and was laid to rest in Silang, Cavite. Before his death, he named Sister Michaela Kim of the Sisters of Mary as his successor.
Under the leadership of the Sisters of Mary, Father Al’s mission continued to grow, expanding into Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras, and most recently, Tanzania.
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints is currently considering Aloysius Schwartz for Beatification and Canonization. In May 2004, the Church declared him a ‘Servant of God’. In 2015, Pope Francis signed a decree confirming his heroic virtue, declaring him “Venerable”.
They might be Saints: Fr. Al Schwartz
The remarkable life and canonization cause of Venerable Al Schwartz is explored by host Michael O’Neill. In this episode, he highlights the founding of the Sisters of Mary and the Brothers of Christ, religious communities that continue Father Al’s mission.
These communities continue to support the charitable programs started by Father Al Schwartz, providing aid to tens of thousands of the world’s poorest in the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras, and Tanzania.