...and I went to an earlier Mass than usual so that I could get to Mother's by lunchtime. This is the Mass normally attended by young families - absolutely packed,rose-coloured vestments for Laetare. From my (standing) vantage point at the back I noted the large number of babies, toddlers,and teens, wondered idly where the middling children were...and then in they came, led by their catechists and clutching flowers to give to their mums...after Mass, more flowers, this time for sale, funds going to the parish's Lenten projects. I bought a pretty potted plant for Mother. The parish newsletter has a headline " Why The Pope is right" with some useful information and a rousing call to be proud of him.
In golden sunshine,on to Mother's, my brother bringing a delicious lunch. Family news, Mother enjoying chatting about her grandchildren, currently in various parts of the world ranging from Hungary, Tuscany and New Zealand to Guildford and North London. Talk of Easter and of summer plans...
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Joanna,
Sorry to post on this Entry, but I wasn't sure if you were checking back on older Posts. This should make you feel better-from the blog:"What does the Prayer Really Say?":
Harvard prof defends Benedict XVI on condoms and AIDS
CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULA — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 11:00 am
Since the Holy See isn’t making this known, CNA had this:
Harvard Researcher agrees with Pope on condoms in Africa [Not a CUA prof, a HARVARD prof.]
Cambridge, Mass., Mar 21, 2009 / 10:11 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict’s recent brief remark against condoms has caused an uproar in the press, but several prominent scientists dedicated to preventing AIDS are defending the Pope, saying he was correct in his analysis. In an interview with CNA, Dr. Edward Green explained that although condoms should work, in theory, they may be “exacerbating the problem” in Africa.
Benedict XVI’s Tuesday comments on condoms were made as part of his explanation of the Church’s two prong approach to fighting AIDS. At one point in his response the Pontiff stressed that AIDS cannot be overcome by advertising slogans and distributing condoms and argued that they “worsen the problem.” The media responded with an avalanche of over 4,000 articles on the subject, calling Benedict a “threat to public health,” and saying that the Catholic Church should “enter the 21st century.”
Senior Harvard Research Scientist for AIDS Prevention, Dr. Edward Green, who is the author of five books, including “Rethinking AIDS Prevention: Learning from Successes in Developing Countries” discussed his support for Pope Benedict XVI’s comments with CNA.
According to Dr. Green, science is finding that the media is actually on the wrong side of the issue. In fact, Green says that not only do condoms not work, but that they may be “exacerbating the problem” in Africa.
“Theoretically, condoms ought to work,” he explained to CNA, “and theoretically, some condom use ought to be better than no condom use, but that’s theoretically.”
Condom proponents often cite the lack of condom education as the main culprit for higher AIDS rates in Africa but Green disagrees.
After spending 25 years promoting condoms for family planning purposes in Africa, he insists that he’s quite familiar with condom promotion. Yet, he claims that “anyone who worked in family planning knew that if you needed to prevent a pregnancy, say the woman will die, you don’t recommend a condom.”
Green recalls that when the AIDS epidemic hit Africa, the “Industry” began using AIDS as a “dual purpose” marketing strategy to get more funding for condom distribution. This, he claims, effectively took “something that was a 2nd or 3rd grade device for avoiding unwanted pregnancies” and turned it into the “best weapon we [had] against AIDS.”
The accepted wisdom in the scientific community, explained Green, is that condoms lower the HIV infection rate, but after numerous studies, researchers have found the opposite to be true. “We just cannot find an association between more condom use and lower HIV reduction rates” in Africa.
Dr. Green found that part of the elusive reason is a phenomenon known as risk compensation or behavioral disinhibition.
“[Risk compensation] is the idea that if somebody is using a certain technology to reduce risk, a phenomenon actually occurs where people are willing to take on greater risk.” The idea can be related to someone that puts on sun block and is willing to stay out in the sun longer because they have added protection. In this case, however, the greater risk is sexual. Because people are willing take on more risk, they may “disproportionally erase” the benefits of condom use, Green said.
Another factor that contributes to ineffective condom use in Africa, is the phenomenon where condoms may be effective on an “individual level,” but not on a “population level.” Green’s research found that “condoms have been effective” in HIV concentrated areas where high risk activities are already being conducted, such as brothels in countries like Thailand.
Claiming to be a liberal himself, Green asserts that promoting Western “liberal ideology” where, “most Africans are conservative when it comes to sexual behavior,” is quite offensive to them. Citing his new book, “Indigenous Theories and Contagious Disease,” Green described Africans as “very religious by global standards” who are offended by “trucks going around where people are dancing to ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’, tossing out condoms to teenagers and the children of the village.”
Green also noted that there is an ideology called “harm reduction” that is being pushed by many organizations trying to prevent AIDS. The ideology believes that “you can’t change the underlying behavior, that you can’t get people to be faithful, especially Africans,” the HIV specialist explained.
One country, Uganda, recognized these issues and said, “Listen, if you have multiple sex partners, you are going to get AIDS.” What worked in Uganda, a country that has seen a decline by as much as 2/3 in AIDS infections, was that officials realized that even aside from religious and cultural reasons, “no one likes condoms.” Instead of waiting for “American and European advisors to arrive,” Ugandan officials reacted and developed a program that fit their culture; their main message being “stick to one partner or love faithfully.”
However, in 2004, Uganda’s AIDS infection rates began to increase once again, due to an influx of condoms and Western “advice”, Green recalled. Western donors also came to Uganda and said behavioral change doesn’t work and that, “most infections nowadays are among married people.” Green said these claims are “misleading,” pointing out that “married people always have lower HIV infection rates than single or divorced people of the same age group.”
Green’s new book, “AIDS and Ideology,” to be completed in the next few months, will describe the industry in Africa that is “drawing billions of dollars a year promoting condoms, testing, drugs, and treatment of AIDS” and is clearly resistant to the idea that behavioral change is the solution.
Yet the two countries that have the highest infection rate of AIDS in the world, Botswana and Swaziland, have recently launched campaigns to promote fidelity and monogamy, the Harvard researcher said. These countries “have learned the hard way” about the failure of condoms in preventing AIDS, he said, noting that “Botswana has probably had more condom promotion” than any other county on a per capita basis. Green said he had no problem “having condoms as a backup to fidelity-based programs.”
According to Green, the Catholic Church should continue to “do what it is already doing,” avoid “arguing about the diameter of viruses” and cite scientific evidence in connection with scripture and moral theology.
Thank you for your courage and stand brave!
Pete T USA
Dear Joanna, again like the previous commentator Pete T USA, just wanted to make sure that readers would pick up on newer posts rather than old ones .....
I followed up a link that one of your commentators Roger had posted. This was and interview with a nurse working in Uganda at the front line of AIDS care, absolutely heart-rending. What you said in that interview was spot-on the ball and it's the others that need to get their heads out of the 'sands of ignorance and bigotry'. See below:
AFRICA/ Jovine, sick with AIDS, with her husband dead and six children now orphans: "what do I need condoms for?"
INT. Rose Busingye venerdì 20 marzo 2009
To discuss the problem of AIDS either from a newspaper editorial office or from the political office of one of the several European Institutions is one thing. To talk about it having first hand knowledge of the situation of dozens of HIV-positive women, and of their children who have been infected, is a very different matter. Rose Busingye is the director of Meeting Point in Kampala, a place of rebirth for four thousand people, either sick or orphans, who would be otherwise condemned to live ignored and abandoned to their destiny, stigmatized by AIDS. In this place with its profound humanity, the controversy on the use of condoms to eliminate the scourge of AIDS resounds like a faraway echo.
Rose, how do you feel hearing so much controversy about a problem you have to fight every day?
Whoever fuels the arguments regarding the Pope’s statement should actually understand that the true issue about the spreading of AIDS is not the condom. To speak only about this is to stop at the consequences and never address the origin of the problem. On the contrary, at the root of the spreading of AIDS there is a behavior, a way of being. Also, let’s not forget that the great emergency is to care for the many people who are already infected, and for them the condom has no use.
However, it is also true that something can be done to avoid a further spreading of the disease, and in this case prevention is useful, isn’t it?
I’ll give you an example, to show how at times people really do not understand the situation in which we are living here in Africa. A while ago some reporters came to make a feature on the activity at Meeting Point. They saw the conditions of the HIV-positive women who are here and they were moved by it. They decided to make themselves useful, to do something for these women, and they gave them some boxes of condoms. When Jovine, one of the women, saw them she said: ”My husband is dying, and I have six children who will soon be orphans. What is the purpose of these boxes of condoms you are giving to me?” The deep need (The ‘emergency’) of this woman, and of many others like her, is of having someone who looks at her saying: ”Woman do not weep!”. It is absurd to think of answering her need with a box of condoms, and the true absurdity is not to see that the human being is love, affectivity.
For the full article/interview this is the link (thanks Roger):
http://www.ilsussidiario.net/articolo.aspx?articolo=14577
Perhaps Jon Snow might like to pack his camera crew and Dr Bagley from 'Christian Aid' over to Meeting Point in Kampala. Let them 'ambush' Rose Busingye with their 'aren't condoms marvellous' and 'isn't the Pope sentencing millions of Africans to death' tactics! Ha! I would like to see just how feisty this lady would get and I know a few Nigerians.
Joanna, however superb your interview technique and responses were on C4, they would probably pale into the shadows of what the likes of Rose might say or do!
God Bless her abundantly in her work with the AIDS/HIV affected people at Meeting Point. What they desperately need is LOVE, a recognition of their human dignity and practical aid! NOT FLIPPIN BOXES OF YET MORE CONDOMS - YOU CAN'T EAT OR DRINK THE DAMN THINGS, YOU CAN'T BUILD HOMES OUT OF THEM OR USE THEM AS FUEL ETC....
That was a wonderful article in your parish newsletter.
Thank you Joanna and thank you Pete. Society has been so blinded with false facts that it is frightening to discover how ignorant and how at risk governments put their people.
I had a wonderful Mothers Day, five of my six children (one is in Spain on a field trip) surprised me with a clean house and beautiful spread after Mass. My grandson fell into our newly dug pond.
What a blessing.
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