CHAPTER I

The present situation.
2. AIDS is a disease that has invaded the whole world but it inflicts the greatest damage in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since its appearance around 1981, it has killed 40 million world wide. 75 of this 40 million, that is, 29 to 30 million have died in Sub-Saharan Africa.
3. Rwanda is among the 10 countries in Africa the most affected by this disease. According to a survey conducted in 1997, 11.1 of Rwandans were infected by HIV/AIDS of which 11.3 were women and 10.8 men. At this time, 400,000 people were infected. Those who died as a result have left about 260,000 orphans. 60,000 of these orphans were also infected. More serious is the fact that every year more than 40,000 children are bom to infected parents. The majority of these are-bom infected by their mothers. This means that even if they survive, they will soon become orphans. In several hospitals, 60 of the beds are occupied by AIDS sufferers. So many die that one begins to remark that certain hills or certain urban regions have been depopulated.
4. Even if everyone is aware of AIDS, this does not stop its inexorable progress. Families everywhere are in mourning because of AIDS deaths and because of impoverished victims, orphans and widows who have no visible means of support. In Rwanda, the genocide and its aftermath accentuated the spread of this scourge. The disease weakens people and reduces them to misery because they must incessantly deal with all the opportunistic diseases that AIDS provokes. As a result they are inca- pable of working to support their families. AIDS destroys those affected because it kills spouses and children bom of infected mothers. It can destroy family harmony because spouses accuse each other of being responsible for the disease. People infected are often rejected by others. AIDS destroys the family implacably. Worse, it attacks the very people whose strength and intelligence could have been used to help their family and their country, reducing entire families to misery and retarding the development of the country. AIDS is a scourge that all must fight against.

CHAPTER II

What the church teaches on AIDS

5. Following the word of God, the church teaches the basic value of life because life is a precious gift from God to man. The book of Genesis describes very well this gift : «So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female, blessed them, and said, «Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control» (Genesis 1, 27-28)
6. We have the obligation to maintain and use well this gift. This is why God has given to us laws which require that we respect our lives and those of others : «Today I am giving you a choice between good and evil, between life and death. If you obey the commands of the Lord your God, which I give you today, if you love him, obey him, and keep all this laws, then you will prosper and become a nation of many people... I am now giving you the choice between life and death, between God's blessing and God's curse... Choose life» (Deuteronomy 20, 15-16...19)
7. Our Holy Father, Pope Jean-Paul II constantly reminds us in his encyclicals, of the value of life and of human sexuality that follows God's laws. He urges us to respect and safeguard human dignity, reminding us that man- was created in God's image and that we are called to share with God, eternal happiness through his love.
8. The laws of God recommend particularly the respect of human life in spiritual and physical terms. The fifth commandment says: «You shall not kill.» The sixth says : «You shall not commit adultery.» Reproaching the adulterous Corinthians, St. Paul says : «The body is not to be used for sexual immorality, but to serve the Lord... You know that your bodies are part of the body of Christ. Shall I take a part of Christ's body and make it part of the body of a prostitute? Or perhaps you don't know that the man who joins his body to a prostitute becomes physically one with her? Don't you know that your body is the temple of Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory» (1 Corinthians 6-13...20) Even if humans have sinned, the mercy of God has allowed humans to become children of God through the saviour, Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
9. Human sexuality follows this teaching that allows humans to correct bad behaviour. The love between man and woman is not in any sense degrading. As long as this love follows the laws and standards of marriage, it reveals a value and beauty that all humans appreciate and support. This value and beauty were perfected by Jesus Christ in the sacrament of marriage thus presenting us with a new form of good behaviour. The church continues to respect and promote the sacrament of marriage, most impor- tantly, union and fidelity between husband and wife and chastity and virginity among young people. The Church sees the natural attractions between the sexes as a gift for which we should thank God and which we must develop as we leam about love.
10. Nonetheless, men continue to fail to stay faithful. Jesus showed very well the importance of this duty when the Pharisees asked him if spouses could divorce in order to remarry. He replied thus : «Haven't you read the scripture that says that in the beginning the Creator made people male and female? And God said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite "with his wife, and the two will become one. 'So they are no longer two, but one. No human being must separate, then, what God has joined together». (Matthew 19,4-6)
11. Following this teaching, we refuse to agree with those who seek a solution to AIDS by encouraging debauched behaviour. There are people who criticise the Catholic Church because it does not promote the use of condoms. The Church is aware that human nature is so corrupted by sin that our bodies lead us act in ways that opposed to God's laws. But this does not mean we should abandon the Church's doctrine of faithfulness between spouses and of chastity for those not married. The Church does not accept that humans should be led by their sexual instincts to transgress God's laws.
12. We are also aware that God's Holy Spirit enables us to overcome these sexual instincts and to follow God's commandments. St. Paul says this to us in these terms : «What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives,- and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do... But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and safe control. There is no law against such things as these». (Galatians 5, 16- 17. 22-23).
13. This then is the path the Church has chosen to follow in the fight against AIDS. However, the church also has the duty to help people who have had the misfortune to catch AIDS, whether because of inappropriate sexual behaviour or simply by accident. The Church, following the word of God, exhorts Christians to look after infected people just as they have the duty to care for all sick persons.
14. Jesus always tried to cure sick and handicapped people of all sorts. Moreover, he gave these same duties to his apostles : «Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness.» (Matthew 10,1).
15. This demands us to care for the sick, particularly the most sick and the incurable. We must remain close to them so they do not lose hope. Above all, we must not isolate them. The Church must also take measures to stop people from giving in to despair because they should know there is a saviour.

CHAPTER III

The Church's Program in the struggle against AIDS.
16. In 1983 when AIDS first came to light, the Church exhorted people to avoid this scourge by obeying the sixth commandment. If the Church conti- nues to incessantly make this recom- mendation, it is because it constitutes a way of encouraging people to avoid the immoral sexual behaviour and promiscuity which are at the root of many diseases. Since 1989, Caritas Rwanda, one of the Catholic institu- tions responsible for social well-being, has undertaken a program of aid to those infected by AIDS as well as their families and orphans. In the Parishes, Catholic Youth movements and approved health training initiatives which try to encourage faithfulness in married couples and chastity and virginity among youth are constantly being developed.
17. More recently, we have committed ourselves more to dialogue with Protestant churches in order to develop a common project in the fight against ADDS. It was in this framework that we met in Kigali from the 15th to 17th of April, 2002. We even invited representatives of other religions as well as those of civil authority.
18. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we signed together with the authorities of the Protestant churches, the resolutions of this meeting and we continue to support them.

It was decided:
l.To follow and re-affirm the strategies of our already existing programs to fight AIDS, at all teaching levels, above all in teaching youths.
2. To create in every diocese a coordinating office for the fight .against AIDS.
3. That in all that is done –the fundamental doctrine of our faith and God's commandments must be respected.
4. To ensure that Rwandan families develop more of the good values that our ancestors promoted: values of good morals, courage, self-control, chastity and virginity as well as other values that encourage respect for life and discourage sexual promiscuity.
5. In this spirit, to continue to denounce promotion of condoms as the only means of protecting against AIDS since the most sure method is abstinence.
6. To collaborate with the state in encouraging the population to take part in voluntary screening for AIDS above all those about to start families.
7. To collaborate with the state and international aid donors in looking after those who are HIV positive and those who have AIDS as well as poor families who have lost their members through AIDS.
8. To collaborate with the state in raising awareness among international donors of the need for affordable anti-retrovirals especially for the poorest AIDS sufferers.

19. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we your pastors, are striving to put into effect these decisions as well as others to follow ; but this cannot happen unless all Christians work together to follow these strategies. We demand emphatically that at all levels of the Church and among all the different sorts of Christians, that each person take responsibility for these obligations.

CHAPTER IV

Recommendations to different groups

20. The vast extent of this problem requires the support of all. This is why we, the bishops of the Catholic Church of Rwanda address the following recommendations :

To Church workers
21. As the Vatican Council II said, "..the joys and hopes, the sadness and anguish of humanity at this time, above all, the poor and those who suffer, are also the joys and hopes, the sadness and anguish of Christ's disciples." (GS, 1) (1). This is why, at this time when we are threatened by the AIDS pandemic, church workers must do as much as possible to encourage their congregations to avoid this scourge. We also ask them to look after AIDS sufferers as well as their families and to console their widows and orphans.
(1) GS: Gaudium et Spes

22. The Church authorities must do all possible to encourage marital fidelity. It is the tradition of the Church to believe strongly in the virtue of chastity preached by Christ, a virtue particularly shown in the vows and religious life of priests and nuns. «..all who have been baptised must be chaste.» (CEC, 2348) (2). He is the light of the world that testifies that chastity is possible and that it is the best way to be governed by the spirit instead of the flesh. We must teach in good times and in bad the need to fight sin and bad behaviour which goes against chastity and promotes lust. We denounce all those who give in to their bad instincts, to lust and prostitution; those who encourage rape, indecent dress and pornography that trivialises sexual relations. All of these demean the gift of procreation given to us by God. (CEC 2351-2356).
(2) CEC: Catechisme de 1'Eglise Catholique

To couples

23. Couples promise each other love and faithfulness when they receive the sacrament of marriage. Adultery and sexual promiscuity can destroy the home and infect one or the other of the couple with .AIDS. This is why we again remind couples to live with love and to remain faithful to each other. We also remind them of their duty to educate their children and to protect them against dangerous behaviour.
24. We advise couples, one of whom has become infected with AIDS to be patient and find the best means to live together without contaminating the other. They must not continue to have children without first demanding the advice of a doctor for modem methods which permit an infected mother to give birth to a healthy child.

To AIDS sufferers and those who are seropositive
25. Dear brothers and sisters infected with AIDS or who are seropositive, we know very well that you suffer physically and spiritually. The message we wish to give to you comes from our Lord Jesus Christ and Is founded on his boundless love for us and all who suffer. He said : «Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest». (Matthew 11, 28). In your suffering be supported by these words of truth that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, he who died, rose again and sits at God's right hand. He who intercedes for us (cf. Romans 8, 34-35).
26. The Church as well intercedes for you. You hold a special place in the Church and you demonstrate through your long-suffering, the love of Christ. Keep a strong confidence in God through Jesus Christ who suffered on the cross in the expectation of the glory God had promised him and with the knowledge that death would not keep its hold over him. May this allow you to have peace in your heart. May prayer be a weapon for you against temptation and despair; against isolation and turning against God; against the judgement of others. Don't become prisoners of the fear of death. Instead, seek comfort in Christian meetings and communities who will welcome you and help you even as Christ himself recommended. Have the courage to accept this sickness. Go to doctors for advice and don't be afraid to join associations, which will permit you to have help from benefactors. And very importantly, dear brothers and sisters, have in you the love that wishes well for others and avoid at all costs, contaminating others with the disease which would be an extraor- dinarily grave sin.

To teachers
27. Teachers, you have an extremely important role in the struggle against AIDS because you are responsible for the education of our youth. We ask you to explain to your students, the dangers of AIDS and the ways to avoid it. Teach them to respect themselves and others. Teach them moral values such as avoiding adultery, controlling their sexual instincts, controlling themselves and respecting God's commandments.
28. Those for whom you are respon- sible will understand better if you practice what you preach by behaving like a parent and teacher worthy of the name.

To Youth
29. Dear young people, you make up the majority ofRwandans. You are the hope of our country and of our Church. You have the strength and the ability to stop this scourge, AIDS. Rise up then to fight it. Don't make excuses by saying you have hot blood and that abstinence is difficult. What distin- guishes humans from animals is the capacity to abstain, to not be controlled by instincts. Do not listen to those who tell you that abstinence is impossible, that the condom is the only answer. Condoms do not protect against sin. The publicity in this regard makes young people think that they can let themselves be carried away by lust provided they use a condom. Such publicity corrupts our youth. The best way to prevent a child from stealing is to teach him to respect the possessions of others instead of teaching him how to steal without being caught.
30. It has been shown that the majority of those infected by ADDS, and. who continue to be, is made up of young women and women. The reasons for this are varied. No one has the right to cast the first stone. We can take a lesson from this and resolve to teach boys to respect girls, their sisters. Girls must receive an education which will help them to protect themselves from being abused by men with no conscience. They must avoid alcohol, greed and nightly outings. This will help them avoid these misfortunes.
31. We congratulate the youth who take part in Anti-AIDS clubs and we urge other youth to join. It is in such associations that you will find the weapons which will aid you to fight AIDS with other youth.
32. Young men and women who are preparing to start a family, please undergo first an AIDS screening test. Thus will you receive advice for avoiding this scourge and giving it to others.
To medical workers
33. We praise the zeal with which medical workers have welcomed and cared for AIDS sufferers. We ask them to continue this task without relenting because they have the duty to relieve and bring courage to them.
34. We see a hopeful future because anti-retroviral drugs are now available. What causes anguish among people living with AIDS is that these medicines are so expensive that very few Rwandans can afford them. We ask the authorities to meet with international aid agencies in order to reduce the price of these drugs so that they are available to all.

To the Government
35. We thank the government of our country which has spared no effort in encouraging Rwandans to avoid AIDS. We invite them to continue the anti- ADDS campaigns to spread the truth about this danger and the ways to avoid it. They should above all concentrate on prevention.
36. We ask the state to insist that organisations which are involved in the struggle against AIDS should put the emphasis on changing sexual behaviour and also on enabling infected people to obtain anti- retrovirals as well as drugs against opportunistic sicknesses.

To the media
37. You have a great responsibility to tell the population the truth about AIDS. Encourage them to undergo ADDS screening and teach them how to avoid AIDS and not to transmit it to others. We wish for the media to be a means of moral teaching, avoiding anything which will lead people, especially young people, into vices which will destroy their Rwandan cultural values.

CONCLUSION
Dear brothers and sisters,
This is why we, the Bishops of the Catholic Church of Rwanda, have sounded this alarm call. The breadth of this problem requires us all to work together to fight it. We affirm with not the slightest doubt, that this disease and its consequences will not be stronger than our hearts, our intelligence and our determination. The Lord Jesus is with us and will never abandon us. We can confidently pray to him because he is the only one who can teach us the necessary behaviour in joy as well as in suffering. <<And now he can help those are tempted, because he himself \vas tempted and sujfered». (Hebrews 2,18)
Our united efforts will create a solid foundation which will permit us to face this pandemic, by avoiding it and by remaining close to AIDS sufferers in our basic church communities and in various associations. It is important that we not lose sight of the fact that the life we wish to protect is given to us by God only and we must not encourage anything which goes against his will.
Christ asks us to support each other with unshakeable love and faith. This is the heritage Christ left us and we must transmit it to others. In this way, we receive life from him. Whatever does not meet this objective, opens up a breach whereby AIDS can enter which destroys the very life we try to save. Thus are we asked to change our behaviour once and for all so that, where death hoped to dominate, life triumphs. Let us remember that AIDS is not a punishment from God but it can be chance we are given to renew our faith. Today, if we hear his voice, may we not harden our hearts (Psalms 95,7).
We put ourselves in God's hands and we trust that our Mother, the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Word and Queen of the Rosary, will be near us, above all in this year which has been dedicated to her in order that we can bring about the end of this scourge that threatens us.
Written in Kigali, April 2003.
Bishops of the Catholic Church of Rwanda :
+ Thaddee NTIHlNYURWA,
Archbishop of Kigali
+ Anastase MUTABAZI
Bishop of the Diocese of Kabgayi
+ Augustin MISAGO
Bishop of the Diocese of Gikongoro
+ Frederic RUBWEJANGA
Bishop of the Diocese of Kibungo
+ Servilien NZAKAMWITA
Bishop of the Diocese of Byumba
+ Jean Damascene BIMENYIMANA
Bishop of the Diocese of Cyangugu
+ Alexis HABIYAMBERE
Bishop of the Diocese of Nyundo
+ Philippe RUKAMBA
Bishop of the Diocese of Butare
+ Kizito BAHUJIMIHlGO
Bishop of the Diocese of Ruhengeri

Traduit de 1'original en Kinyarwanda par Ie Secretariat General de la C.EP.R.