On Tuesday, February 16 at 5 p.m., Sister Mary Beth Lloyd, M.P.F., Ed. D., will speak at Fairfield University about how her order, the Religious Teachers Filippini, are helping African orphans by providing food, education and the skills that allow them to live lives of dignity.

This year, there will be 25 million orphans from AIDS.

Of those children, 67,000 live in the United States. There will be a staggering four million new orphans this year in India because of the disease. However, the majority of AIDS orphans live in Africa, where AIDS continues to claim lives at an alarming rate.

On Tuesday, February 16 at 5 p.m., Sister Mary Beth Lloyd, M.P.F., Ed. D., will speak at Fairfield University about how her order, the Religious Teachers Filippini, are helping African orphans by providing food, education and the skills that allow them to live lives of dignity.

The event, free and open to the public, is an initiative of Steven Cirronella, class of 2011, sponsored by Fairfield University's Center for Catholic Studies. It will take place in the Dolan School of Business Dining Room, on the Fairfield campus.

In a talk entitled, "AIDS Orphans in Africa," she will discuss her life's work as an international mission director, and offer a firsthand account of how orphans are surviving against great odds.

According to Sister Mary Beth, every 14 seconds a child headed household is formed. That means a child is left to take care of his younger siblings. They are families made up of children who are trying to stay together, and trying to uphold the ideals of their parents and societies, Sister Mary Beth said. "There are millions of them throughout the world, and theirs is a life of poverty and deprivation."

For years, the Religious Sisters Filippini have worked to provide the vital necessities to AIDS orphans. The nuns' efforts are not only meant to sustain these children, but help them rise above their plight and lead lives of promise. Moreover the nuns believe that if Africa is "to survive" and become a strong continent, these children must prosper. They are its future leaders, according to Sister Mary Beth.

She is the author of the author of "AIDS Orphans Rising: What You Should Know and What You Can Do To Help Them Succeed" (Loving Healing Press, 2007).

For more information about the work of Religious Teachers Filippini, visit http://www.aidsorphansrising.org

For more information about the Center for Catholic Studies, visit www.fairfield.edu/catholicstudies or contact (203) 254-4000, ext. 3415.

Posted On: 01-29-2010 10:01 AM

Volume: 42 Number: 181