A Blessed Solemnity of the Assumption of the BVM 2021

As we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a feast very dear to our hearts, we are reminded once again how blessed we are to be given the opportunity to experience the life inside the Sisters of Mary's Boystowns and Girlstowns and to witness God's miracles unfold in our own lives.

As Pope Francis reminds us in today's feast, "Taken up into heaven, Mary shows us the way to God. The way to heaven. The way to life." May our Blessed Mother be our model of generosity and faithfulness from birth to death. She learned to surrender everything to God and trust God's plan for her. May our lives be a living witness as well to God's faithfulness and generosity especially in this time of the pandemic, a sign of hope for a world marred by sin and aggravated by poverty and calamities (both natural and man-made). May the Blessed Virgin Mary continue to intercede for us.

And so, with grateful hearts, we continue to remember the many graces and blessings we received from God through the intercession of Our Lady, the Virgin of the Poor. We thank our ever-caring and ever-loving Sisters of Mary and our beloved Fr. Al, who founded this great institution 57 years ago today.

God bless us all and Happy Birthday to everyone! Cheers! 

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"All praise, honor, glory and thanksgiving to the Virgin of the Poor."

- Venerable Aloysius Schwartz (1930 - 1992)

2021: 57th Foundation of the Sisters of Mary (Korea) and 36th for the Philippines

August 15, 1964 - Fr. Al started the family-unit orphan program and accepted the first group of children in Korea. It became the official foundation day of the Sisters of Mary, the religious congregation of women, now numbering over 400 and currently working in Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras and Tanzania, Africa.

In 1985,  Fr. Al arrived in Manila at the invitation of then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin to begin the Boystown and Girlstown program in the Philippines. With a handful of Sisters, he began the medical program for destitute tuberculosis patients at the Quezon Institute while the Boystown/Girlstown complex in Sta. Mesa, Manila was being constructed. [Source: Killing Me Softly: The Inspiring Story of a Champion of the Poor]

August 15 has been designated as well as the universal birthday of each child under the care of the Sisters of Mary in its villages worldwide (Boystowns and Girlstowns).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF FR. AL'S CHILDREN and HAPPY FOUNDATION DAY TO THE SISTERS OF MARY! 

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Here are some throwback photos of the Foundation Day 2002 in Biga Campus from the files of the late Fr. James 'Jim' Ferry, MM. Thanks to Fr. Jim Kroeger, MM.

In photos: Fr. Ferry, MM and Fr. Urrutia, SJ, Sisters, Children, Teachers/Staff and Guests at the 17th Foundation Day Celebration and Inauguration of the SMS Track Oval at the Biga Campus in Silang, Cavite, Philippines

“This is the secret of constant joy: Unselfishness, which means love. You must be unselfish to practice charity. You must go out to others and think of them.”
– Venerable Fr. Aloysius Schwartz

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, OUR DEAR SISTERS OF MARY!

The Miracles of Father Al - International Greets the Sisters on Mother's Day 2020

© The Miracles of Father Al - International and Mr. Gabriel Jeongsik Im (Editor)

"We are born of love; love is our mother." - Rumi

...

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" - Is 49:15

With Sr. Imelda, SM @ SHS-Ateneo de Cebu

With some boys from SOM-Minglanilla Campus @ SHS-Ateneo de Cebu

Mother's Day @ 2010 with +Sr. Cecille Pabalan, SM

Mother's Day @ 2010 with Sr. Maria Cho, SM

Mother's Day 2014 @ BIGA Girlstown

Mother's Day @ 2014 with Sr. Teresa, Sr. Elnora and Sr. Maureen

Mother's Day @ 2014 with Sr. Elena and Sr. Amy

2018 @ ADLAS Boystown with Sr. Tess Prudente, SM

2010 @ BIGA with + Mo. Michaela Kim, SM - 25 Years of Dedicated Service to SOM

Thank you very much, our beloved Mother-Sisters for the love! You are our mothers, too. God bless you always! We love you!

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BREAKING NEWS! CARDINAL TAGLE CO-OPTED INTO THE ORDER OF BISHOPS

Photo © Internet | Cardinal Tagle with Pope Francis

Today, May 1, 2020, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, The Holy Father, Pope Francis through The Holy See Press Office released a Rescript that decided to co-opt into the Order of Bishops, His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, DD, S.Th.D. He is now a part of the highest order of the College of Cardinals, joining Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Leonardo Sandri, Marc Ouellet and Fernando Filoni that was Co-opted into the same order.

And since the rescript enters into force today, "the new Cardinal Bishop will be equivalent in all respects to their confreres who hold the title of suburbicarian churches."

RESCRIPTUM EX AUDIENTIA SS.MI: Rescript of the Holy Father Francis, by which he decides to co-opt into the Order of Bishops His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, equating him in all respects to the Cardinals who have been awarded the title of a suburbicarian Church. (VATICAN NEWS)

NOTE: The said order is the highest order of the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church which only have six (6) members prior to his elevation. Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle is the first Filipino to be raised to the rank of Cardinal-Bishop. The appointment was made public today, May 01, 2020 at the Vatican.

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29 June 2013 Inauguration of the Monsignor Al Schwartz Memorial Center, Biga, Silang Cavite
Photo © Al San Buenaventura, SJ

CONGRATULATIONS, OUR DEAR CARDINAL-BISHOP LUIS ANTONIO G. TAGLE! GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR NEW MISSION and POSITION IN ROME! LOVE & PRAYERS FROM YOUR SISTERS OF MARY FAMILY! 

In Memoriam: Mr. George E. Doty (1918-2012) | Long time friend and generous benefactor of Fr. Al and The Sisters of Mary

(15 FEBRUARY 1918 - 24 APRIL 2012)

A giant in Catholic philanthropy, George E. Doty, one of Fordham University’s biggest donors and the man who funded the restoration of the great dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

A long time friend and generous benefactor of Fr. Al and the Sisters of Mary together with her beloved wife +Marie J. Doty (25 Nov 1916 - 24 Sep 2008)

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace with his lovely wife - +Marie J. Doty and our dear Fr. Al. +Amen.

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“If I did not have the Catholic faith and I wanted to invent a faith for myself, what would I do? I think I would reinvent the Catholic faith. It may sound foolish, but I think of a loving God, a forgiving God. How can you beat that?” ~ George E. Doty

His Eminence, Jaime Cardinal Sin confers the Serviam Award to George and Marie Doty for their outstanding support to the Sisters of Mary. The Serviam Award is the highest award in Service given by the Philippine Catholic Church in recognition of the great service to the Filipino people and the Catholic Church.

George Doty receives the Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) from the Adamson University, Manila, Philippines (July 14, 1994)

George and Marie Doty with children of the Sisters of Mary - Girlstown in the Philippines

CNEWA at 75: Into The Future: George and Marie Doty, seated with Msgr. Stern at the inaugural service, gaze at the renovated dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, 2 January 1997. (photo: Joel Fishman)

Truly, the George E. and Marie J. Doty Award by the American Federation for Aging Research is a fitting tribute to these two great people.

The last but definitely not the least in the inaugural class of the Founding Spirit: The Fordham University Hall of Honor.

The Charles Carroll Award in Catholic Philanthropy : George and Marie Doty (1999). In a spirit of profound admiration, affection, and gratitude, and in recognition of their generous and caring lives in service to humanity and to the church.

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Daddy George Doty, you will remain alive in the hearts of thousands of us! You just have to pass away to reap your greater 'reward'. We love you and we thank God for sending you to us, inorder to be of constant support to the wonderful programs of Fr. Al and the Sisters of Mary...We will continue to pray for your family and we hope to ease their sorrows through our unending prayers of gratitude. Even the spaces inside wouldn't be enough if we are to compress our words of gratitude and love. We are now numbering to almost fifty thousand graduates here in the Philippines and many more in other countries whom you have helped, whom you've made whole, whom you have inspired to get on with our dreams and help our own families. It's far to be like you, but your inspiration would lead us closer to helping back the Sisters of Mary in return...Say our ''hello'' to Fr. Al! 'Till we meet again! We love you very much! 

Our sincerest and deepest condolences to the bereaved family of our beloved, George E. Doty - a very generous man and a very loyal supporter of the wonderful programs of Fr. Aloysius Schwartz and the Sisters of Mary not just in the Philippines but in other countries as well especially in Korea. 

More about this great man and his beloved wife can be found on the links below:

Giving back: the generous legacy of George E. Doty 
CNEWA: Remembering George Doty
Obituary: George E. Doty Sr. (1918 - 2012)
Obituary: Marie J. Doty (1916 - 2008)

Photo Credits: The Sisters of Mary, CNEWA,  Fordham University

Related Post: Congratulations Sisters of Mary on the Inauguration of the Marie J. Doty Memorial Infirmary