HIV/AIDS Coalition to Continue despite NCAN Closing
The 20th anniversary of the National Catholic Aids Network Conference was the last for the organization. Dr. Elsie Miranda, attended the conference at Loyola University in Chicago and said “it was both a time of celebration and lament for the many people involved in ministering to those infected and affected by the AIDS pandemic within the Catholic / Christian community. Due to lack of funding and depleted support from diverse organizations, this Catholic-based educational and ministerial care network will be closing its office for good.”
While the Catholic Church was in the front lines of providing compassionate care to persons living and dying of HIV/AIDS during the early 80’s and 90’s, today it has lagged behind in envisioning new ways of educating against the spread of the disease. Father Bob Vitello, Director of Caritas Internacionales who received the Lumina Award for over 20 years of service to the HIV/AIDS community, said that the success of many antiretroviral drug therapies in diminishing the ravaging effects of the virus has had a numbing effect in keeping the public, the church and government actively engaged in fighting this battle.
Despite these harsh realities, Father Chris Ponet of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Dr. Miranda have agreed to establish a coalition of supporters from across the country and perhaps the world, including the founders of NCAN, to re-organize and strategize for the future. From conversations at the conference it seemed obvious that the future of HIV/AIDS ministry and education has to occur within an ecumenical context and include voices of persons from all over the world. During the summer of 2008, on a date yet to be determined, an international meeting will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, to keep this vital work alive for the sake of all of God’s people.
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