Group says HIV+ priests still stigmatized - Priests With AIDS

National Catholic Reporter, July 2, 1993 by Marchel Abner

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- While the number of clergy with AIDS or HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is increasing, many of those concerned say the Catholic church is still slow to overcome the stigma against the disease.

"I get angry when I see the treatment PWAs (priests with AIDS) receive from some clergy," said Fr. Jerry Bouressa, commenting on his group of 11 HIV-positive clergy.

Bouressa is the founder of the Chica-go-based group, which held its first meeting in June. It is comprised of clergy from various faiths, and sponsored by Test Positive Aware Network. TPA is the Mid-west's largest AIDS support and information organization.

Steve Wakefield, executive director of TPA, said he knew of no other AIDS clergy assistance group in the country.

According to figures from the National Catholic AIDS Network, there are 300 organizations and 500 individuals within the Catholic church who identify themselves as providers of HIV care service. The network estimated that there are 6,400 general church-related support groups for people with the disease.

Despite these figures, many AIDS-or HIV-infected clergy nationwide feel they will be ostracized by congregations or Christian schools. Fear of superiors and peers with high expectations has made them reluctant to reveal how they acquired the HIV virus, Bouressa said.

"A lot of clergy members have to fight this disease alone because of fear of public recognition", he told NCR.

"The perfection of those who are priests and ministers has been highly overrated," he said. "I've spent 33 years of my life trying to convince people that I'm human, and I can walk with other human beings as Jesus walked."

Bouressa has devoted his life to getting this message to Christians everywhere, while at the same time helping HIV-infected clergy. Three years ago he became a spokesperson on AIDS to Spanish-speaking PWAs. His seminars have taken him to infected clergy in cities throughout the nation.

Bouressa told NCR that it has taken a long time for the Catholic church to respond to the AIDS community because of the stigma attached to the disease. Recently, he said, one person was denied burial in a Christian church because he had died of AIDS.

Bill Ryan, a spokesman for the U.S. Catholic Conference told NCR there is currently no national policy dealing with AIDS or HIV-infected clergy members.

Fr. Rodney DeMartini, executive director of the AIDS network, believes the Catholic church has responded well to the AIDS community. But he admitted there are criticisms of the type and extent of the responses.

"It is difficult to measure the support from the church," DeMartini said. "We almost have to talk to every person and ask them if they're satisfied with the church's response.

"You're going to get a variety of answers, and there are those at the other end of the spectrum who will say the church is the last place I'd want to go," he told NCR. "But that, too, can be said about the public sector hospitals."

DeMartini said he has come into contact with clergy infected with AIDS or the HIV virus and there are no "exemptions to clergy or people with religious backgrounds."

"We have to challenge ourselves to always look at whether consideration and compassion permit us to stop the discrimination," said DeMartini.

Bouressa and Wakefield also believe compassion will cure any ills between the HIV-positive clergy and the church.