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Thursday, November 30, 2000

Bishop will lead AIDS service
Testing, tree planting are among other World AIDS Day events
By Venessa Santos-Garza
Caller-Times

George Tuley/Caller-Times

Sarita Saenz (left) and Nick Moya participated in a candlelight vigil in memory of children who have suffered from AIDS.

World AIDS Day organizers say part of fighting AIDS is fighting the stigma attached to the disease and having an interfaith service led by the bishop helps to do that in a largely Catholic community.
   The Most Rev. Edmond Carmody, will lead an interfaith service beginning at 8 p.m. Friday at St. Pius X Catholic Church.
   "There is a lot of stigma attached with the AIDS and HIV," said Joe Castillo, an events coordinator for the Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation. "We hope that by having a prominent religious leader like the bishop come forward we can do away with a little bit of that stigma."
   Carmody said he is pleased to be participating in this year's event. He stressed that the mission of the Catholic church is to help all people in need, no questions asked.
   "The church has always come out for those who are sick or in pain, and we will continue to do so," Carmody said. "It does not matter what the cause for the illness might be."
   Tyshan Nichols, assistant to the director of the South Texas Interfaith Council, which is a sponsor of the event, said the goal is to get all faiths and denominations involved and expose them to the issues.
   World AIDS Day has been on Dec.1 every year since 1988; a local observance has been going on for at least 10 years, organizers said. The purpose of the event is to send messages of compassion, hope, solidarity and understanding about AIDS to every country in the world.
   "World AIDS Day is one day set aside for people to remember those who have died from the virus," Castillo said. "And also to help remind people in the community that there are places people can come for assistance."
   This year's theme is "All Men Make a Difference," a reminder that men need to take an active role in preventing the spread of AIDS. Other community events include free HIV-AIDS testing from 8 a.m. to noon today at South Texas Substance Abuse Recovery Services, 405 E. Main, Robstown.
   The Loving Spoonful will host a red ribbon tree planting at 9:30 a.m. Friday in remembrance of those who have died from AIDS. For every client who dies another red ribbon, a symbol of AIDS awareness, will be placed on the tree.
   Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation officials said the organization also will have free testing for HIV and syphilis from 8 a.m. - noon Friday at the foundation office at 527 Gordon St.



Staff writer Venessa Santos-Garza can be reached at 886-3752 or by e-mail at, santosv@caller.com

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