That was the life motto of Father Frans Schlooz (1912-1998). This Salesian missionary from Venlo dedicated over sixty years to serving the poorest of the poor in southern India. To provide them with a better future, he established schools, was instrumental in creating homes for orphaned and homeless children, and devoted himself to providing accommodation for leprosy patients, who, shunned by society, found safety and care in a protected environment. Additionally, he initiated many other medical and social projects.
Father Schlooz was a creative ’entrepreneur’ who managed to accomplish great things with limited financial resources. To financially support his projects, a special fund was established in 1959, followed by the founding of the Father Schlooz Foundation in 1970. After Father Schlooz passed away in 1998, the projects were continued by local Salesians who followed in his footsteps. The Father Schlooz Foundation remains committed to financially supporting these initiatives.
Tamil Nadu, the state where the Pater Schlooz Foundation operates, is extremely impoverished. Particularly for the dalits – the so-called ‘untouchables’ – in rural areas, access to quality education, food, and medical care is not a given. Therefore, we are actively seeking resources and support for them. Furthermore, we ensure that a minimum of 99 cents from every donated euro goes directly to the projects!
The grateful touch of a cared-for leprosy patient, the smile of a poor widow with children, or the beaming pride of homeless orphans who had completed their training as seamstresses or carpenters, made Father Frans Schlooz feel incredibly rich. With his disarming charm and persuasive abilities, he managed to gather numerous funds, allowing him to execute his plans and ideas, resulting in a better future for many ‘disadvantaged’ individuals.
With boundless energy, Father Schlooz dedicated over sixty years to serving the poorest of the poor. Even around his eightieth birthday, he was asked to set up yet another project from scratch in a new village, Varadarajanpet, and once again, it became a success.
Father Schlooz was a Salesian. Salesians are followers of the Italian priest Giovanni Bosco (1815-1888), affectionately known as ‘Don Bosco’. Don Bosco aimed to improve the conditions of disadvantaged and underprivileged youth, leading him to establish the religious congregation of Salesians in 1859. Even today, the projects of the Father Schlooz Foundation are largely carried out by local Salesians.
On several occasions, Father Schlooz had the pleasure of meeting Prince Claus during his visits to India. Both men, driven by the same ideals, developed a genuine and respectful relationship with one another. This culminated in a warm correspondence, especially in those moments when a comforting word was welcome. In 1990, his son Willem Alexander met Father Schlooz in India. This experience led King Willem Alexander, after the passing of Father Schlooz in 1998, to take a keen interest in his living legacy, continued by the Father Schlooz Foundation. Frans Schlooz felt humbled by his appointment as Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau by Her Majesty the Queen. Earlier, he had also been awarded honorary citizenship by the municipality of Venlo.
