Saturday, November 21, 1998

AIDS is our disease

World AIDS Awareness Day, Dec. 1, is a sobering reminder that AIDS is our disease, a disease of the entire human family. The people of God have AIDS. We must learn to find meaning from it in our lives.

The challenge is to see God in each person afflicted with this disease. While there may be conflicting views regarding how to deal with the cause and prevention of the spread of AIDS, compassion is the proper Judeo-Christian response to those afflicted.

AIDS raises many medical, social and political issues, all with profound ethical questions. Our response to this tragedy must be a holistic approach that is prayerful and takes into account the spiritual, moral, physical, social and emotional well-being of all people affected. There is an urgent need for medically and morally sound programs of education, counseling and persuasion to deal with prevention and spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Whatever the cause, there is a social-religions responsibility to care in a compassionate way for people afflicted with AIDS. There is also a moral responsibility for all to live by socio-religious principles that can prevent the spread of this disease.

Those with AIDS can be seen as problems or as mysteries. Problems can be isolated, abandoned, solved or removed. As for mysteries, we should try to understand them, embrace and contemplate them and from them discover new meaning for our own lives. Those with AIDS are mysteries of God's -- they are our brothers and sisters.

MOST REV. MICHAEL PFEIFER

Bishop, Catholic Diocese of San Angelo

Robbing children

It was a $795 Mont Blanc pen donated by Busch Jewelers -- gone! I couldn't believe it.

The auction table had a security guard beside it to keep watch over the items as donors silently wrote on bid sheets. The beautiful 14-karat gold pen was already up to $250. It sat alongside other precious gems and jewelry donated by so many generous merchants to help raise money at the Christmas Carousel Gala event on Nov. 7.

I thought citizens paying $50 per plate were charitable, generous, trustworthy and honest. The sad thing is, the thief did not steal the pen from Busch Jewelers or from the Junior League of Abilene. He stole it from the children who would have benefited from the funds raised. He literally stole $250 from underprivileged children.

With much disappointment I realize not all of our citizens care about others. Apparently there is one who doesn't care that children will go without food, clothing and toys this season. Or that after being beaten and abused, a child has no place to go. Or maybe all the thief really thought about was using a $795 pen to impress others as he writes checks for his own entertainment over the holidays.

If you read this, thief, it's not too late to make amends anonymously to the children from whom you've stolen. You can mail in your donation via cashier's check to 774 Butternut, Abilene, 79602. If not, consider your conscience as you use the pen. Will you still find joy in it? Or will you see the eyes of those from whom you've stolen?

RONDA HILLIS

Auction chairman, Junior League of Abilene