My dear sisters and brothers in Jesus,
1. St. Mathew, the evangelist quotes prophet Isaiah
to introduce the mission and message of Jesus, in
these words : “The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light, and for those who sat in
the region and shadow of death light has dawned ” (Mt.
5:16 ). As Chairman of the CBCI Commission for Healthcare,
I would like to reflect with you on this theme in
the context of the devastating scourge of HIV/AIDS
that is affecting many of our sisters and brothers
in our beloved country. This message is the fruit
of the suggestions by the Bishops in-charge of the
Health Commissions of the 12 Regional Bishops' Councils
and the Heads of National Health and Developmental
Organisations, who came together for a National Consultation
on ` The Response of the Church on HIV/AIDS' ,
on August 8-9, 2003 at St. John's National Academy
of Health Sciences, Bangalore. As you already know,
each year, December 1 is observed globally as “the
World AIDS Day”. Such a reflection is more appropriate
since we begin the holy season of Advent, and prepare
ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the true
Light, that `dispels despair and darkness' ,
and ` enlightens everyone in this world' (Cf.
Jn 1: 5,9).
2. The first case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV) was detected in India in 1987. In the last
15 years, the disease has spread rapidly all over
the country. Today India is estimated to have about
4.5 million HIV positive people. It is said that
if the spread of HIV/AIDS is not checked, it is likely
to wipe out the decades of development achieved in
our country. At the rate at which new persons are
being infected annually, it is feared that India
may well become the ‘AIDS capital of the world' by
2020. This poses a formidable challenge to healthcare
resources, institutions, families and life expectancy!
3. Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has reminded
that those suffering from HIV/AIDS must be provided
with complete care and shown full respect, and given
every possible moral and spiritual assistance , and
indeed treated in a way worthy of Christ himself.
His Holiness states that “the battle against AIDS
ought to be everyone's battle.” (Ecclesia in Africa
, n.70). Together with our country's present-day
exigencies such as poverty, illiteracy, ignorance,
injustice and discrimination, it becomes absolutely
necessary for the Church to get involved in the care
and support of those infected and in awareness building
programmes for prevention. Countries like Australia
, Great Britain and Uganda tell the success stories
of reduction in the number of new HIV infected cases,
due to the active intervention of the Church and
the other faith-based organizations together with
their respective Governments.
4. It is noted that the Catholic Church provides
approximately 25% of the total care given to those
infected with HIV/AIDS, which makes the Church a
major partner among the nations in the fight against
this disease. In India , of the total 4745 Catholic
healthcare institutions, a good majority indeed have
programmes for awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS
and care and support of the patients. Thirty nine
centers are exclusively dedicated to the care of
the HIV/AIDS patients.
Through the efforts of the Commission for Healthcare,
the CBCI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
the Indira Gandhi National Open University and a
programme of Study on ` Family Life Education
in the context of HIV' was launched. It is
encouraging to note that 2200 students have enrolled
themselves for this course in the last academic year.
We know that education, awareness building and training
for the prevention of HIV/AIDS play a major role
in the challenge we face. It is our hope that many
more, especially those who are in the educational
and healthcare fields, will join the course and benefit
by it.
Developmental organizations like Caritas India ,
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Catholic Medical
Mission Board (CMMB) and others have various programmes
to control the spread of the disease in our country.
St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Catholic
Health Association of India (CHAI), Catholic Nurses
Guild of India (CNGI), and some Religious Congregations
carry out many programmes and projects responding
to HIV/AIDS.
Though the Church is involved to a great extent
in the nationwide efforts to contain attempts against
the spread of HIV/AIDS, it still has a major mission
to fulfill. Considering the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS
pandemic, t he entire Christian community needs to
be alive, active and involved. We need to reflect
together on ways and means to be the light of the
Divine Saviour . We need to communicate the fact
that we never “ walk in darkness ” – the
darkness of ignorance and fear. We should take it
up as a challenge to remain united as one family,
where no one is discriminated against, but rather,
everyone is truly accepted.
5. Let us change the darkness
of ignorance and misconception into the bright
world of positive action and prevention :
HIV infection, as per the current scientific
knowledge, is transmitted mainly in three ways
- through sexual contact with an infected person
and thus through body fluids; from a mother infected
with HIV to her baby; and, through blood transfusion.
We need to create awareness among our people
about the nature of the disease and the ways
of its transmission. Prevention involves choosing
responsible life styles that are based on true
human and moral values and adhering to them in
daily life. This implies fidelity and faithfulness
in one's marriage, pre-marital and extra-marital
sexual chastity, and responsibility to one's
life and commitment.
6. There are many agencies that campaign for prevention
of HIV/AIDS by advocating “safe sex” or “safer sex” through
condom use. Unfortunately these tend to offer a false
sense of security. In this context, we need to remember
that the sexual behaviour based on the Gospel values
and the teachings of the Church alone will, offer
the best protection.
7. Proper awareness of HIV/AIDS should
help us to overcome our prejudices and fears .
Those who contract HIV/AIDS, either by accident
or as a result of their own actions, carry with
them a heavy burden of social stigma, ostracism
and condemnation. The infected and affected persons
deserve all the compassion and care offered by
Jesus. Those who feel morally superior to those
living with HIV/AIDS may remember that self-righteousness
is condemned by Jesus in the pages of the Gospel
more than any other sin. Let us join hands with
the World Health Organization and UNAIDS in the
campaign, “Live and let live”, to eliminate the
stigma and discrimination associated with HIV
and AIDS. I appeal to the parish communities
and the educational and healthcare institutions
to be involved actively in awareness programmes,
campaigns, life-skill education, study-seminars
and in care and support activities.
8. Let us help those people living with
HIV to come out of the shadow of despair, gloom
and guilt and enter into a joyful hope and acceptance . Those
among us who are living with HIV/AIDS must not
feel alone and abandoned. We, their sisters and
brothers, must walk in solidarity with them on
their journey. In the words of Pope John Paul
II, “Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion
or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so
many people. On the contrary, it is a firm and
persevering determination to commit oneself to
the common good; that is to say, to the good
of all and of each individual because we are
really responsible for all.” As the body of Christ,
the Church needs to take care of those infected
and help them to ‘live positively' with HIV/AIDS.
As a result, the infected can continue to celebrate
life and live with hope, having judicious use
of medicine, eating a balanced diet, dedicating
sufficient time for prayer and meditation, spending
time with family and friends while contributing
in whatever way they can for the benefit of the
family and society.
9. One of the serious concerns of the
Church is to make sure that the infected have
access to essential drugs at an affordable price. In
this connection, we appreciate the efforts of
the Government of India in providing free drugs
for the opportunistic infection. It is indeed
a laudable plan that WHO has projected in launching
a programme to give the antiretroviral (ARV)
medicines to a large group of infected persons.
We urge our institutions to make use of these
available schemes so that the infected may receive
the benefits. On behalf of our sisters and brothers
living with HIV, we appeal to the Pharmaceutical
Companies in India , who are producing a large
share of the medicine for global supply, that,
not profit, but rather humanitarian consideration
be their motive and primary concern.
10 . The people living with HIV/AIDS
continue to contribute to their family and society .
They are to be reassured of the value of their
lives, their worth in the larger society and
the positive contribution they can make to further
enrich it. They are to be part of the planning
and decision making process of the interventions
that affect them.
Parish communities, especially through the basic
ecclesial communities, should reach out to those
families of HIV patients. We should create a network
of people prepared to assist such families in care,
counselling and support. Women are at a higher risk
of getting infected due to the prevailing gender
inequalities. Women Groups in communities and parishes
have an important role to play in this regard.
11. All the Catholic healthcare institutions will
admit and care for those persons living with HIV/AIDS,
as we are also serving the Lord in the abandoned
and afflicted. As Blessed Teresa of Calcutta used
to say, “ a person affected by HIV/AIDS is Jesus
among us. How can we say `no' to Him? ” The family
members of the person infected play a major role
in the home-based care, which is palliative in nature.
Families and care-givers at home need to be trained
in day-to-day care of the patient. We need to know
how to fight this disease, while taking care not
to discriminate and stigmatize the infected.
12. I entrust, all those who are living with HIV/AIDS
and their care-givers, to the powerful intercession
and maternal care of Mary, Mother of Jesus, the Mother
of Hope and Strength. May She also intercede for
all of us so that the Babe of Bethlehem, remove all
the shadows of despair, discrimination and fear,
and bring to our hearts the true light of hope and
loving acceptance of everyone, especially those who
are sick and suffering.
Given on October 18, 2003 on the feast day of St.
Luke, the patron of doctors,
Yours in Jesus, the Divine Healer,
+ Bishop Bernard Moras
Bishop of Belgaum and
Chairman, Commission for Healthcare
Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
For further information, particularly on IGNOU '
S Diploma and Certificate Courses on " HIV
and Family Education ", and for study materials
on " Prevention of HIV/AIDS "
and “ HIV & Pastoral
Care ", kindly write to:
The Executive Secretary
CBCI Commission for Health
CBCI Centre, Goledakkhana
New Delhi-110 001
Tel. 011-23344470 / 23340774
Website: www.cbcihealth.com
Email: cbciheal@bol.net.in
