Tie A Red Ribbon...

A gentle reminder to everyone that today, 1 December, is World AIDS Day.

To comemmorate it, here are some snips from a Pastoral Letter of the Bishops of Florida, excerpts of which were published in today's Miami Herald

Persons living with HIV/AIDS, their friends and families need to feel the warmth and caring of their Catholic brothers and sisters throughout their journey of living with this disease. Florida ranks No. 3 among all the states in the incidence of HIV/AIDS. The Florida Division of Disease Control July 2005 Surveillance Report indicates that the state has more than 34,900 HIV cases and 99,500 AIDS cases.

''The one who is seriously ill needs the special help of God's grace in this time of anxiety, lest he or she be broken in spirit and subject to temptations and the weakening of faith.'' (Introduction to the Rite of Anointing and Care of the Sick.) As we have done in the past, we commit the church in Florida to active HIV/AIDS ministry involving education, pastoral care, advocacy and collaboration....

All of us need to engrave in our hearts the conviction that discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS is more than illegal. It is immoral and unethical by any Christian standard, for it contradicts Jesus' paramount commandment: ''Love one another.'' We must become proactive in education, service and compassionate understanding of those suffering from this disease....

[P]arents should be the primary educators of their children, with our Catholic schools and religious-education programs playing an important supportive role. An education in Catholic values requires a partnership between families and the church. Neither can do it alone. Each must reinforce what the other teaches. Therefore, today -- World AIDS Day, 2005 -- we recommit ourselves as the Church, as the Body of Christ in Florida, to assure that people living with HIV/AIDS, and their friends and families, experience the comforting love and hope of Jesus....

-30-