World AIDS Day
— Posted by John (December 1, 2006 at 1:04 pm)
While many will unfortunately use today as an opportunity to sing the praises of the Almighty Condom as the way to fight AIDS, we would all do well to give serious consideration to the sensible message issued by the Vatican in conjunction with this day two years ago.
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lauren says:
This attitude of refusing to work together on one of the worst epidemics of all time baffles me. Have your disagreements. But for God’s sake people are suffering so very greatly. This is not the time for division.
Comment posted December 1st, 2006 at 3:58 pm
mary kay says:
Lauren,
Once again, do you even read what the posts say? By “work together” do you mean pass out condoms? The Catholic church does a great deal for aids victims. If you had read the entire post, you might have something to say, but just bashing us because you assume our differences keep us from acting on behalf of aid victims is, to say the least, insulting.
7. Responding to the sorrowful appeal of the Holy Father, the Catholic Church, ever since the appearance of this terrible scourge, has always made her contribution both to preventing the transmission of the HIV virus and to looking after AIDS victims and their families at the medical/assistance, social, spiritual and pastoral levels. At the present time, 26.7% of the centres dedicated to treating HIV/AIDS in the world are Catholic centres. The projects and programmes involving education and prevention in relation to AIDS, and the care, treatment and pastoral accompanying of HIV/AIDS victims, that local Churches, religious institutes and lay associations promote with love, a sense of responsibility and a spirit of charity, are great in number. Side by side with this inestimable and praiseworthy endeavour, the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care has met the request of the Holy Father John Paul II who, when addressing the Bishops of the Episcopal Conferences of America, Australia and Europe, asked them to join with the pastors of Africa.
I don’t mean to snipe, it’s just that I get the feeling you only read the first two sentences of anything anybody rights and then jump on everybody for being wrong, mislead, or fools. It takes away from your credibility.
Would it have killed you to say “Wow, I didn’t realize that 27% of the groups helping stem the aids problem were Catholic. Good job guys.” No, you just have to bash, disagree and run. C’mon, you’re way smarter than this.
MK
Comment posted December 1st, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Pansy Moss says:
The Vatican letter was really good.
On Wednesday I saw my midwife and she just came back from Zimbabwe to help train other midwives. She said teh AIDS rate in the village she was in was 30%. One of the biggest and most obvious tragedies was that AIDS left an even higher percentage of orphans. Well over half the children in the village were orphaned due to AIDS, and did not have money to attend school there. This is what’s left after you minister to those suffering and dying with the disease. How scary.
There is a great deal of work that can be done to help those suffering with AIDS, as the Vatican letter states, beyond trying to push spreading it with condoms.
Comment posted December 2nd, 2006 at 7:47 am