Theological Considerations Of The Catholic Church's Response To Hiv And Aids Analysis

3.6 The Theological Considerations of the Catholic Church’s Response to HIV and AIDS.
The Catholic theologians firmly agree that HIV and AIDS pose three major theological challenges to the Church. First, the sheer number of the people infected and affected by the disease means that the Church cannot ignore the problem. This means the Church has AIDS. This underlines the validity of the Church’s response almost in every continent. Secondly, the negative economic impact of the disease on the people, affects the fortunes of the Church as well. Thirdly behind the epidemic lie serious concrete situations of human misery, suffering, pain and death which the Church cannot overlook. However Agbonkhianmeghe contends that the earlier theological reaction
Tarcisia Hunoff assertion in her work on the theology of the Catholic Church‘s response to HIV and AIDS in Papua New Guinea that:
“AIDS is a sign of our time. As religious, we are supposed to be able to read the signs of the times. The Church, over the centuries, has always responded to special signs of their times, to specific needs such as epidemics. If you think of history, it was the church who responded. Church has always responded to a special need. Being faithful to the Gospel means that we read and respond to the needs of our times in specific ways.”
She further posits that the Church’s quest to respond to the plight of HIV and AIDS can be critically examined in the three theological virtues of faith, hope and love which are crucial in the time of HIV/AIDS. These virtues she claims must be accompanied by practical care which does not only concern about improving on people's quality of life within their community, but also demands action in their wider world. According to Kelly and Sr. Hunoff, the Church does not require special biblical knowledge to respond to HIV and AIDS. Instead, HIV and AIDS are considered as part of a wider theological praxis of care and compassion, which has developed and evolved with the history of the Church. Responding to HIV and AIDS is the work of a faithful church, not an optional extra. The history or precedence of such work can be found in the
This does not only mean the restoration of health and remedy to PLWHA. Rather the church seeks restoration of wholeness which is characterised by physical, mental, emotional and spiritual integration of individual PLWHA vis-à-vis the adversities that confront them. The Catholic Church as the earthly representation of Jesus takes after the latter who asserts in John 10:10b that he came that people may have life, and have it abundantly. St. Irenaeus of Lyons posits that God is the source of all activity throughout creation and the glory of God is fully manifested in humans. Therefore it is impossible to live without life, and the actualization of life comes from participation in God, while participation in God is to see God and enjoy his goodness. One can only enjoy God and life if only if he/she is fully integrated physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to God. The Catholic Church through its healing ministry provides the opportunity for people to become whole and integrate themselves to God and live. This mission of the Church again resides in the mission of the twelve in Luke 9:2. In this sense the Church has provided various health institutions to cater for people’s physical, psychological and spiritual health needs. The various health institutions such as Hospitals and health centres, rehabilitation centres and social integration centres