VATICAN INSIDER IN HAWAII: THE AUGUSTINE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
My guest for the interview segment this week is Sue Ferandin, the vibrant and wonderfully caring executive director in Hawaii of AEF – the Augustine Educational Foundation – a foundation whose mission is to make Catholic education more affordable for families in Hawaii.
Sue and I met during my recent visit to Honolulu when Bishop Larry Silva invited me to attend the September 13 AEF donor appreciation reception. She was a speaker at this event, as was the bishop. I was enthralled by her words and her mission. I told Sue I’d love to have her as a guest on Vatican Insider to speak about AEF and her work.
When we spoke in her office at the St. Stephen Diocesan Center on September 20, I told her I was still very, very touched by last week’s reception, in particular the young people whom I met who were recipients of AEF scholarships and aid. In fact, one of the young people, Brittany, also addressed the group at the reception, and her story brought tears to not a few eyes. You will hear Sue and I talk about that.
The students who receive AEF aid attend a retreat every year. This year one of their activities was to make a cross and to explain in writing what the colors they used meant, what went through their mind as they made the cross and what the cross tells people about themselves. These wonderful young people – whose lives have been changed by AEF and who themselves are changing lives – decided to give the proceeds of the cross sales to Make A Wish foundation in Hawaii.
I bought four of the crosses – one for me and three for very special destinations. Here are the stories of those crosses and the young people who made them:
To learn more about this amazing foundation, visit their web page: http://www.augustinefoundation.org/
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