A Gift Weaved From Thorns: HIV as Gift and Challenge in the Church - A Pastoral Reflection

The pandemic of HIV/AIDS has been with us for nearly thirty years now. The situation for those living with HIV in the West has dramatically altered with the development of more effective treatments that delay or prevent the onset of AIDS for those who are diagnosed HIV positive at a sufficiently early stage of infection. This paper will review the last three decades in brief, and consider the similarities and differences between then and now. With a very close look at the experience of Catholics living with HIV in the UK, we shall consider the particular ministry of ‘Positive Catholics’ and reflect upon the challenges and gifts that those involved have experienced. We will consider what the example of this ministry, and the experience of people living with HIV, has to say to the wider Church at this time. Taking a Liberation Theology perspective, we attempt to represent the voice of people living with HIV, and suggest that the Church is in denial about HIV, because of the difficult and challenging issues that are raised. We shall raise some of these issues in brief, but with a certain impatience reflecting the experience of those Catholics amongst us living with HIV, we will argue that it is now time for the Church to address the issues that are raised by first committing to provide the resources and will to meet the pastoral needs of Catholics living with HIV in our midst.