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.
Venerable Aloysius Schwarts
(September 18, 1930 - March 16, 1992)
Founder
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”.
