The Servant of God, Venerable Aloysius Schwarts was born in Washington D.C. on September 18, 1930 to Louis Schwarts and Cedelia Bourassa. He grew up with the idea of becoming a priest and with the passage of time, this idea became more specific he would become a secular priest, work as missionary and his apostolate would be to the poor and the needy.

In 1994, he entered in St. Charles Seminary in Maryland. He finished his B.A. Degree at Maryland College and then he joined with Societe des Auxiliares des Mission (S.A.M.) and studied his theology at Louvine Catholic University in Belgium. He used to spend his vacation helping at the rag-picker’s camp. During his first visit to the shrine of the Virgin of The Poor, he felt inspired to dedicate his priesthood to the service of the poor, in fulfilment of the messages of our lady.

He was ordained as a diocesan priest on June 29, 1957 at St. Martin church, Washington D.C. and he chose Korea as his first assignment although he was told that he might not be able to persevere because of his somewhat delicate health. On December 8, 1957, he arrived at Korea. As a consequence of the Korean War, there were many widows, orphans, beggars and street children. Almost on-half of the adult population was without productive employment and reduced to selling rags and waste paper, begging and stealing as a last resort. He thanked God that after thirteen (13) years of preparation; finally he arrived at the place where he serve him through the poorest of the poor.

He was full of zeal and worked so hard but one day he collapsed while saying mass and was diagnosed to have hepatitis. His recovery was slow so he was advised to go back to the United States. Without money for his plane fare, he had to beg transportation from an American ship. While in the United States, he decided to make an effort to raise funds for the Korean poor. He made mission appeals at parish masses on Sundays. He didn’t mind the role of a beggar to be able to help the poor.

In December 1961, he returned to Korea and was assigned as a pastor of St. Joseph parish. He lived like the poor people around the parish and continued helping the needy. He organized the Legion of Mary Ladies to assist in helping the poor. Later, through divine inspiration, he thought that in order to serve the poor in the mind and heart of Jesus, they must be consecrated.

He founded the religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary on August 15, 1964 in Amnamdong, Busan and on May 10, 1981the Brothers of Christ. As a founder, he was an excellent model of genuine service to the poor, which emanates from his unwavering faith and love of God present in the Eucharist, in the scriptures, in others especially in the poor. And his zeal for God and for the poor is also incarnated in the sisters and brothers hearts. They established Boystown and Girlstown to take care, educate and give a bright future to the orphans, street children from the very poor families from day one to their late teens. They also build hospitals and sanatoriums for very indigent patients; hospices for the homeless and disabled elderly men, special children and unwed mothers. They are also involved in pro-life activities. His idea of helping the poor is not mainly material but above all spiritual. He always wanted to give the best service to the poor and to offer as many souls to God and to be Blessed Virgin.

In 1983, he receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his excellent Charity works in Korea and for the first time, he came in Manila. In 1985, seeing the urgent need of the poor specially the children and through the invitation of his Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin and his total trust in God’s providence, he started a new religious community in Archdiocese of Manila. Thus, expanding his charity works in the Philippines. Construction of buildings and rounding of children from the slum and very poor areas were done and in few months they launch to work. In 1988, he received the Mother Teresa Award from the Manila Jaycees in Manila. In 1989, he was invited by his Eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal to establish his charity programs in Cebu. At present, they are taking care and educating almost 12,000 boys and girls who are coming from different provinces of our country. They are being provided with food, clothing, shelter, high quality education with intensive vocational training totally free-of-charge in preparation for a bright future at their Sisters of Mary Boystown and Girlstown Schools in Adlas and Biga, Silang, Cavite; Talisay and Minglanilla, Cebu and Brothers of Christ of Banneux, Inc. in General Trias City and Amadeo, Cavite catering Out of School Youth, Physically and Mentally challenged and Elderly.

In 1989, he was diagnosed to have terminal illness. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which he accepted with much joy, serenity and courage as a gift from God. He suffered excruciating due to his illness yet he smiledand cracked jokes to make others happy. In spite of his deteriorating health, he established Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico, which he called his “unfinished symphony”.

Our History

The Brothers of Christ of Banneux, Inc. is a religious congregation founded by the Servant of God Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, an American missionary priest in Seoul, Korea on May 10, 1981, to respond to the reality of poverty, suffering and deprivation of the poorest of the poor. The congregation supervises and maintains a program that provides shelter and training to the destitute and homeless elderly people and young adult. They render various forms of assistance and service that include direct evangelization and value formation, as well as livelihood trainings, self-help projects, recreational facilities and retreat activities. In Seoul, Korea the Brothers are taking care of 1,700 abandoned adults and elderly men who are physically and mentally challenged, homeless and alcoholic. The Brothers take proper care for those entrusted to their care by providing them free hospice, food, clothing, medical and health services. To broaden their knowledge in the welfare and services, and to be able to provide quality services the Brothers visited other welfare institutions for the homeless people located in the major cities in Korea and while others attended social welfare classes to obtain a social worker license. In the Philippines, seeing the Filipinos urgent need to alleviate the sufferings of the poor people, they decided to set up, supervise, operate and maintain a welfare program for the poorest of poor, elderly and young adult, the OSY, physically and mentally challenged men by providing them with various forms of voluntary assistance. To wit: Evangelization and value formation, livelihood programs, self-help projects and recreational clientele coming from different places of the country. In almost two years of preparation for the operation of the residential care for the Out of School Youth, physically and mentally challenged men, they become busy visiting different kind of institutions to gather some information and see the actual operation for the said clients. Seeing the needs of the society for the physically and mentally challenged men and the Out of School Youth, Brother Matthew Gu, together with the Filipino Brothers, established the Brothers of Christ of Banneux, Inc. (BCBI) in the Philippines in order to serve these underprivileged people. The institution is a non-stock, no-profit corporation that provides residential care for the poorest of the poor. It will be maintained and supported by grants, donations, gifts and bequest from noble, selfless and well-meaning persons and entities locally and internationally.