Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – The Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo will be spending over 144 million dollars to help AIDS victims and combat the spread of the HIV virus. This is what has been released in a presentation of the three-year (2009-2011) plan for the fight against AIDS, during a conference held by the Congolese Bishops' Conference (CENCO), through “Caritas développement Congo,” to promote a collection of funds for the project.
The program has been elaborated with the participation of all 47 Congolese Dioceses and hopes to be a contribution from the Church to the efforts of the government and other organizations in fighting the spread of the HIV virus and AIDS.
The President of the “Caritas développement Congo” Bishops' Commission, Bishop Javier Kataka of Wamba, has affirmed that the government and the Church are determined to fight together against the disease and highlighted the fact that millions of Congolese suffering from the disease will benefit from the program.
Congo's Health Minister, Auguste Mopipi, thanked the Bishops' Conference for their fight against the disease. The Minister affirmed that the nation needs the contribution of religious groups, especially that of the Catholic Church, in overcoming the disease.
The National Director of Caritas of Congo, Bruno Miteyo, presented the program, which has a three-year budget of over 144 million USD. It is a remarkable funding effort, which shows the commitment of the Church in Africa to offering concrete help to victims of one of the worst diseases that afflicts the continent, amidst the silence and indifference of many. The program focuses on 4 areas: Education and Prevention; Medical, Spiritual, Psychological, and Socio-Economic Assistance; Ethical and Juridical Aspects; Communication.
The Director of Caritas recalled that the process of drafting the program came in a series of consultations on a diocesan level, which were held between February and June 2007. On the basis of the suggestions and proposals, the document “Pastoral Guidelines of the CENCO in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS,” shortly following the Plenary Assembly of Bishops held in July 2007.
The conference for the presentation of the program was also attended by Monsignor Robert J. Vitillo, Special Consultant on AIDS for Caritas Internationalis and Director of the Caritas Delegation at the United Nations Offices in Geneva, who recalled that sub-Saharan Africa is the largest AIDS-sufferer worldwide: 64% of people with AIDS live in Africa, and Africa is also the country with the greatest number of children left orphans as a result of the disease. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 15/5/2009)
