Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Shi Jia Zhuang (Agenzia Fides) - Catholics in mainland China is always at the forefront of AIDS prevention, support, assistance and medical care of the sick or infected by the virus. According to information gathered by Fides, through the witness of Catholics in this field, even non-Catholics are sensitized on the issue. In sight of World AIDS Day, celebrated on 1 December, the cathedral of the Diocese of Tai Yuan, in the Shan Xi province has begun a campaign of "total prevention, active care and elimination of discrimination" for a journey towards "zero AIDS ". According to the priest who is dealing with this campaign says, "through this campaign we want to sensitize the people so they realize the great significance of life, and understand above all that the Lord has given us the life that is precious. In addition, the sick and the infected are victims, the youngest of our brothers, and it behooves us to be the good Samaritan towards them".
For years the Chinese Catholic Church, led by the Office of prevention and against AIDS of Jinde Charities, the charitable Chinese Catholic organization, which devotes itself in every way to fighting AIDS on the continent. For about a month the Sisters of the Office have been in the villages where AIDS patients are concentrated, for their regular visits. On 16 November, the Office was officially authorized by some civil associations, to handle a charitable fund for a little girl orphaned due to AIDS. On 23 November, in collaboration with the Institute of the city of Shi Jia Zhuang, the Office organized a conference which was attended by 300 university students and volunteers from eight faculties.
The Office of Jinde Charities in recent years has been able to create a network of activities with courses (destined for married couples, engaged couples, young university students, migrant workers ...), meetings (with similar organizations, authorities, patients, pastoral workers, Catholic volunteers ...), public demonstrations (in parishes, dioceses or basic ecclesial communities, in collaboration with local authorities), together with the coordination of the work of support to the sick in clinics. Until the end of December, 10,050 people attended the training offered by the Office. Among them were 500 AIDS patients and orphans.
Even some religious congregations have devoted most of their activities to combat this disease not only from a health point of view, but above all moral and spiritual, according to Christian teaching, maintaining a close collaboration with national and international social institutions, such as Di Tai Beijing Hospital, which is specialized in the treatment of AIDS.
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Diocese of Shi Jia Zhuang is one of the many Catholic groups active in this field that have moved the entire population. The nuns work in the Hospital Di Tai and many other Centers for AIDS patients across the country, even those run by Buddhists. Some Buddhist universities were impressed and amazed after having accompanied the women religious in the usual visit to a village of 40 families affected by AIDS in 2008. Today, these young people are the connection point between Catholics and Buddhists to spread the principles of AIDS prevention. The locations of the branches of the Office of prevention and against AIDS of Jinde Charities are now spread throughout the continent. An interesting detail to note is that volunteers are Catholics and non Catholics, so the funds come from and are managed by Catholics and non-Catholics. So in addition to enjoying a good account by all, the Office is also a living testimony of possible collaboration between the Catholic community and society.
According to the latest official statistics from the Ministry of Health of China, until the end of October 2010, the continent had registered over 370,000 sick and infected by AIDS, and 68,000 deaths. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 30/11/2011)
