Re: Indian Catholic Church HIV/AIDS Policy 2005

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

A quick reading of the document and it is clear that the Catholic Bishops

Conference of India has taken a giant step, and a significant one.

One must realise that this is essentially a Church document, a sort of guide for

Catholics, their pastors and those that run Church Institutions. One hopes that

this will be extended to institutions run by catholics.

The document must be read in the context of what the Catholic Church [and the

Vatican, currently under the mitre of Pope Benedict XIV] believes, and one must

agree that the Indian Bishops have come out with a balanced and progressive

document.

Abstinence especially before marriage, rejection of abortion and contraception,

have been a part of Catholic - and Christian- tradition and values for the past

400 years but along with that, since the Second Vatican Council, is the emphasis

of an individual's free will as a gift from God, and as many a priest-counsellor

is apt to tell a Christian couple - this is the law of the church but do what

your conscience tells you is right.

To expect the CBCI to come out with a 'radical' statement that embraces condoms

or contraception that is contradictory to mainsteam Catholic church teaching is

at the least extremely wishful thinking.

But there are several places in the document where the CBCI have been frank,

forthcoming and forward looking.

1.The Indian Catholic Church acknowleges that stigma and discrimination of

PLWHA is practiced in Catholic institutions. [Page 6]

2. The policy document says the Church is committed to fight the disease while

taking care not to stigmatise the infected, and that this message is to be

beamed loud and clear to all catholkics, parishes and institutions.[Page 9 and

elsewhere]

3. The multi-sectoral approach of the Church is in line with NACO guidelined and

the best of accepted world practice.

4. the Church 'does not approve of any sort of discrimination or hostility

directed against people living with HIV/AIDS which is unjust and immoral' [p10].

This is a strong statement being sent out to several 'moralistic' pastors and

Church organisations as well as to the Catholic laity.

The spiritual context is clear, you are unjust and immoral if you discriminate

against anyone with HIV/AIDS. I think that this is one of the most liberating

statements: no Catholic school shall ever kick a child out because she is HIV

positive or refuse to appoint a PLWHA as a teacher just because of her

condition.

5.A highly signifiant statement which deserves a thorough reading is the

reference to the high cost of patented medicnes and a mention about

'intellectual property rights' being subject to social obligations.

This indicates the mood of the Indian Church and its sincere committment to

matters pertaining to social justice.

6. The document acknowledges that Church based schools hesitation to initiate

school based AIDS programmes, and puts forward a well devised and formulated

strategy in line with NACO, WHO and UNICEF guidelines that will involve not only

educationists but Catholic Youth organisations across the board in accessing and

dissemination of information of HIV/AIDS related knowledge.

7. The document actually encourages the Communcation and media centres of the

Church to prepare and disseminate locally relevant material that is

non-discriminatory and with a strong emphasis on human dignity. This is a very

positive step, that will help to get the Church media away from fear factor

messages that fuel discrimination.

8. As someone who is involved in rights and activism for those in same sex

relationships to be treated with dignity and acceptance, Page 26 of the document

is an eye-opener and one cannot help applaud the CBCI.

The document says As it is mentioned in the Catechism of the Catholic

Church 'the number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendenciesis

not negligible.

This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them

a trial. They must be accepted with respect,compassion, and sensitivity.

Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These

persons are called to fulfillGod's will in their lives and, if they are

Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they

may encounter from their condition'(21)

Now one can get into the whole 'orientation vs preference, or natural order vs

disorder' debate.

However the point here is that the document indicates strongly that

homosexuality is a 'condition' that may be a 'trial', and calls for

acceptance, respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

A significant direction for the Indian Church to take indeed!

The Church will treat HIV/AIDS infected people having same sex relationships

with compassion, understanding and sensitivity. The Church-based organisations

shall not discriminate against them in

any way (22).

Programmes aimed at prevention, treatment, care and support will be made

accessible to people engaging in same-sex behaviour.

9. HIV/AIDS and the liturgy: another development to not is the introduction of a

special HIV/AIDS Sunday [this will probably be the last Sunday of November] with

special liturgy and prayers in the Churches.

Also the entry of HIV/AIDS related courses in seminaries and formation houses.

The Church in India through its numerous educational, health and Service

organisations, will become a major catalyst to end discrimination and promote

dignity of human beings with HIV/AIDS while working for the dramatic decrease in

new infections

if this HIV/AIDs policy is implemented.

Krishner

E-mail: <sikkimkrishna@...>