EWTN will broadcast a documentary and an interview about the life and work of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, a missionary priest from the Archdiocese of Washington who some day could become the first native of Washington, D.C., to be recognized as a saint. The accompanying interview, which will air on EWTN Live, includes a conversation with Tom and Glory Sullivan, who are supporters of his cause for canonization, and Sister Margie Cheong, a Sister of Mary who has worked in the Girlstown villages that he founded.
Venerable Schwartz, affectionately known as “Father Al,” grew up attending Holy Name Parish in Washington, and after being ordained to the priesthood in 1957 at St. Martin of Tours Church in Washington, he dedicated his life to serving the poor. Beginning in South Korea, Father Al founded a network of villages for the poorest of the poor, where children could live and receive academic instruction, vocational training, faith formation, and the opportunity to play sports or learn instruments.
In order to sustain the Girlstown and Boystown villages, Father Al founded the Sisters of Mary, who today continue his work of serving the children. He also founded World Villages for Children, a non-profit that provides financial support to the programs.
The missionary priest was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) in 1989, and he died in 1992. In 2015, Pope Francis authorized a decree to be promulgated recognizing Aloysius Schwartz's heroic virtue, bestowing on him the title “Venerable,”a key step toward canonization.
Since their founding, Venerable Aloysius Schwartz's programs have helped more than 150,000 children and their families break free from the cycle of poverty. Today, they operate in 14 different locations in the Philippines, South Korea, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Honduras.
The schedule for the documentary and the interview is below:
Interview on EWTN Live:
Wednesday, March 13 – 8 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 14 – 1 a.m. ET
Thursday, March 14 – 9 a.m. ET
Sunday, March 17 – 4 a.m. ET
Documentary on Father Al:
Wednesday, March 13 – 10 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 14 – 10 a.m. ET
Saturday, March 16 – 6 p.m. ET
