Korea

On the Feast of the Assumption in 1964, Father Aloysius Schwartz founded the Sisters of Mary in Busan, Korea. His vision was clear and courageous: to serve Christ in the poorest of the poor—orphans, abandoned street children, mendicants, the homeless, the sick, the elderly, the mentally and physically challenged, and unwed mothers.

Guided by the Virgin of the Poor, the Sisters embraced this mission with love and humility. In their “little way,” they brought hope to countless lives by establishing Boystowns and Girlstowns, where abandoned and destitute children could receive education, care, and a future filled with promise. They opened hospitals to provide free medical and surgical services to the sick, and hospices to shelter the homeless, the disabled, and mothers in distress.

The fruits of this mission are extraordinary:

• More than 20,000 children have graduated from Boystown and Girlstown, breaking free from poverty.
• Millions of sick people have received healing and care.
• Over 5,000 babies have been saved through pro-life efforts, each one a testament to the sanctity of life.

All of these works in Korea were established before the holy passing of Venerable Al. Today, as Korea has grown into a nation able to provide for its people’s needs, the Sisters have turned their gaze to the most desperate corners of the world. Their mission continues in places where poverty still crushes hope, bringing Christ’s love to those who need it most.