In the name of the Catholic Church in Africa and Madagascar, greetings to you on World AIDS Day 2005. The theme is "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise" and, in the spirit of this year's assembly of Eastern African Bishops of the AMECEA region, I invite you to join in fighting both AIDS and afro-pessimism:
To everyone in Africa and Madagascar living with HIV or AIDS and affected by the pandemic, we
assure you of the love and prayers of your Bishops. We promise to stand by you, and we encourage all pastoral agents to serve you and care for you in a holistic manner. We invite you, as full members of Church and society, to participate fully in the life of the Church. We encourage you to approach us, and keep on speaking out, so that Bishops and other Church leaders can continue to minister to you according to the mission we have received from Christ the Chief and Good Shepherd. May the God of Love protect you and give you ever more faith and hope to live positively and respond lovingly to His call.
We Catholic Bishops of Africa are very optimistic that Africa shall survive. We reject and condemn any negative predictions about the future of Africa and any marginalization of Africa as a continent. We call upon all leaders and peoples of Africa, and leaders and peoples of other continents, to respect Africa and to completely desist from giving Africa a negative image through the media. Africa does not need pity, but genuine love, solidarity and justice.
Despite many difficulties, disappointments and challenges, we Catholic Bishops of Africa share a deep optimism with all our fellow citizens: Africa shall survive. In the words of the Message of the African Synod of 1994, quoted at length by the late Pope John Paul II in the Post-synodal Exhortation, Ecclesia in Africa, n. 13, "Christ our Hope is alive: we shall live". And future generations shall also live. The pandemic of HIV and AIDS shall be defeated. This strong optimism comes from our Christian hope and conviction, as expressed by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword" or HIV and AIDS? (Rm 8:35). No! God loves Africa and its people, and we shall not be afraid. The people of Africa have rich inner energies and noble values, courage and determination to defeat the pandemic. That is why we call upon all peoples of Africa to undertake a courageous struggle against HIV and AIDS. We welcome the solidarity of all people of good will on this World AIDS Day 2005.
May our Holy Mother Mary, the Queen of Africa and the Health of the sick, intercede for us at the throne of grace. Amen.
+John Onaiyekan
Archbishop of Abuja
President of the Symposium of Episcopal
Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)