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Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius "Al" Schwartz
Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz (b. 18 September 1930, Washington D.C. - d. 16 March 1992, Manila, Philippines), Fondly called Father Al, Priest and Founder of the Congregations of Sisters of Mary and Brothers of Christ .
Laminated Prayer Card with Holy Relic - A Piece of Cloth from Fr. Al's Chasuble
BIOGRAPHY OF FATHER AL
Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz was born in Washington D.C. on September 18, 1930. He grew up with the idea of becoming a secular priest, work as a missionary and his apostolate would be to the poor.
In 1944, he entered St. Charles Seminary in Maryland, finished his B.A. Degree at Maryknoll College and studied his Theology at Louvain Catholic University in Belgium. He used to spend his vacation helping at the rag-pickers' camps for the derelicts of the French society. Visiting Banneux, where the Virgin of the Poor appeared, he was more inspired to dedicate his priesthood to the service of the poor in fulfillment of the message.
He was ordained as a diocesan priest on June 29, 1957 and was assigned in Busan, South Korea on December 8, 1957. He founded the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary to serve the poorest of the poor on August 15, 1964 and the Brothers of Christ on May 10, 1981. He established Boystown and Girlstown to take care, educate and give bright future to the orphans, abandoned and children coming from very poor families, He also built hospitals and sanatoriums for very indigent patients; hospices for the homeless, handicapped elderly men, retarded children, and for unwed mothers. He was also involved in pro-life activities.
In 1985, he started his charity programs in the Philippines. In 1989, he was diagnosed to have a terminal illness. Amyotrophic Lateral Scierosis (ALS), which he accepted with joy and serenity as a gift from God. In spite of his deteriorating health, he established Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico in 1990.
With humility, courage and unwavering faith, he suffered and accepted a lot of humiliations, criticisms, trials, pains and difficulties, just to be able to serve and love God through the poor. His illness made him immobile but still even on a wheelchair, he continued to fulfill his duties with joy. He spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying the rosary, hearing confessions and heroically preaching in words and examples the virtues of truth, justice, chastity, charity and humility. His love for God and the poor consumed him. He did not only help not only help the poor but he also lived poorly.
On March 16, 1992, he breathed his last at the Girlstown in Manila and he was buried at the Boystown in Cavite, Philippines.
The Sisters of Mary and the Brothers of Christ, continue to live his charism of serving gratuitously tens of thousands of the poorest of the poor in Korea, Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Honduras.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Almighty, ever-living God, giver of all good gifts, You have filled Msgr. Al with an ardent love for You and for souls. You have inspired him to dedicate his life to relieve the suffering of the orphans, abandoned, the sick and the poor, especially the youth which he did with all humility and courage until the end of his life. May his holy life of love and service to the poor be recognized by the Church through his beatification and canonization.
For your honor ad glory, we pray that the life of Msgr. Al be an inspiration for us in striving for perfection in the love of God and service to others.
Bestow on us, through his intercession...(mention the favor you ask for). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son and the maternal aid of Mary, the Virgin of the Poor. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...
Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius "Al" Schwartz
Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz (b. 18 September 1930, Washington D.C. - d. 16 March 1992, Manila, Philippines), Fondly called Father Al, Priest and Founder of the Congregations of Sisters of Mary and Brothers of Christ .
Laminated Prayer Card with Holy Relic - A Piece of Cloth from Fr. Al's Chasuble
BIOGRAPHY OF FATHER AL
Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz was born in Washington D.C. on September 18, 1930. He grew up with the idea of becoming a secular priest, work as a missionary and his apostolate would be to the poor.
In 1944, he entered St. Charles Seminary in Maryland, finished his B.A. Degree at Maryknoll College and studied his Theology at Louvain Catholic University in Belgium. He used to spend his vacation helping at the rag-pickers' camps for the derelicts of the French society. Visiting Banneux, where the Virgin of the Poor appeared, he was more inspired to dedicate his priesthood to the service of the poor in fulfillment of the message.
He was ordained as a diocesan priest on June 29, 1957 and was assigned in Busan, South Korea on December 8, 1957. He founded the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary to serve the poorest of the poor on August 15, 1964 and the Brothers of Christ on May 10, 1981. He established Boystown and Girlstown to take care, educate and give bright future to the orphans, abandoned and children coming from very poor families, He also built hospitals and sanatoriums for very indigent patients; hospices for the homeless, handicapped elderly men, retarded children, and for unwed mothers. He was also involved in pro-life activities.
In 1985, he started his charity programs in the Philippines. In 1989, he was diagnosed to have a terminal illness. Amyotrophic Lateral Scierosis (ALS), which he accepted with joy and serenity as a gift from God. In spite of his deteriorating health, he established Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico in 1990.
With humility, courage and unwavering faith, he suffered and accepted a lot of humiliations, criticisms, trials, pains and difficulties, just to be able to serve and love God through the poor. His illness made him immobile but still even on a wheelchair, he continued to fulfill his duties with joy. He spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying the rosary, hearing confessions and heroically preaching in words and examples the virtues of truth, justice, chastity, charity and humility. His love for God and the poor consumed him. He did not only help not only help the poor but he also lived poorly.
On March 16, 1992, he breathed his last at the Girlstown in Manila and he was buried at the Boystown in Cavite, Philippines.
The Sisters of Mary and the Brothers of Christ, continue to live his charism of serving gratuitously tens of thousands of the poorest of the poor in Korea, Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Honduras.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Almighty, ever-living God, giver of all good gifts, You have filled Msgr. Al with an ardent love for You and for souls. You have inspired him to dedicate his life to relieve the suffering of the orphans, abandoned, the sick and the poor, especially the youth which he did with all humility and courage until the end of his life. May his holy life of love and service to the poor be recognized by the Church through his beatification and canonization.
For your honor ad glory, we pray that the life of Msgr. Al be an inspiration for us in striving for perfection in the love of God and service to others.
Bestow on us, through his intercession...(mention the favor you ask for). We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son and the maternal aid of Mary, the Virgin of the Poor. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...