Editorial

On December 1, people around the world will mark World AIDS Day. Why has a special day been set aside for this disease?

The annual observance gives everyone - from national and international AIDS organizations to community groups, parishes, and individuals - an opportunity to recommit themselves to the fight against AIDS, explained Dan Lunney, executive director of the Chicago-based National Catholic AIDS Network, in a Catholic News Service article.

Staggering numbers. Perhaps another reason for a special day is the staggering numbers of people infected. Nearly 40 million adults and children are living with HIV. New infections are on the rise in many countries, according to a recent report by the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organization.

This year alone, 4.3 million people have contracted the virus and 2.9 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

Pope calls for increased efforts. Pope Benedict XVI commented on World AIDS Day November 26 in St. Peter's Square. He called on the international community to increase efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and to protect people infected by the virus from discrimination.

In a separate address, the pope called for all people struggling with infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, to be treated with love and respect. Illnesses such as "leprosy, the plague, tuberculosis, AIDS, and Ebola evoke tragic scenes of pain and fear," he said November 24 in an address to participants of a Vatican conference on the pastoral approach to treatment of infectious diseases.

People affected by such "repugnant pathologies" are often marginalized or humiliated, and their "deplorable situation" is made worse by "the inequality of social and economic conditions," the pope said.

Everyone's battle. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago recently said World AIDS Day "is an opportunity for us to focus on the important opportunities we have to improve our ministry to our brothers and sisters living with, and affected by, HIV/AIDS." The cardinal wanted to raise awareness about the disease and encourage the sharing of resources for Catholic parishes to use to observe World AIDS Day.

The cardinal said, "It is also an opportunity for us to recognize and to thank those in the church who so actively work to prevent the spread of AIDS and to take care of those living with the virus." Cardinal George repeated the late Pope John Paul II's comment in 1995 that "the battle against AIDS ought to be everyone's battle."

Catholic resources. Catholic resources to observe World AIDS Day are available, including English- and Spanish-language suggestions for homily themes, prayers of the faithful, and reflections for the first Sunday of Advent, Dec. 3. The resources were developed by Oregon Catholic Press and are available online at the National Catholic AIDS Network Web site: www.ncan.org

World AIDS Day gives all of us an opportunity to learn more about the disease and find out how we can support efforts to find a cure and protect people from being infected. Above all, we can pray for those with AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her Missionaries of Charity gave us an example of showing love and respect for the terminally ill, including those with AIDS. Her Sisters - and so many other wonderful caregivers - also deserve our prayers and our support as we continue the battle against AIDS.

Mary C. Uhler

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