Letter from Brussels.

Sometimes, it's extremely hard to discuss difficult issues, let alone try to do something positive to resolve them, even at the proverbial dinner table among friends and family. Some people would just wish that these issues were swept under the carpet and dealt with elsewhere, away from the public eye. This is especially the case within the Catholic church, where some people are not even welcome at the dinner table in the first place. Fortunately, there are some people who are willing to force these difficult issues onto the agenda. This is the case with HIV/ AIDS at the European Parliament.

While every case is tragic, the rates of HIV/AIDS incidence in Europe do not even approach those in Africa. In western Europe, HIV-prevalence figures among adults 15-49 years of age barely touch the scale at 0.3% compared to, for example, sub-Saharan Africa, where the rate is some 8.4%. Yet the European Union and its Parliament in Brussels have been at the forefront of campaigns both to prevent and cure the disease. The EU is a major provider of funds to help developing countries fight HIV/AIDS. The Condoms4Life campaign was an opportunity for its members to work to ensure that organizations receiving EU funds are acting responsibly in preventing HIV and are adhering to a policy that includes condoms, not a policy that bans condoms and puts lives at risk.

The attitude of Members of the European Parliament was exemplified when Condoms4Life contacted 50 of them to put their names to an advert that would appear in the European Voice in April. Within hours of asking 50 MEPS, I had positive responses from 29 of them, representing 13 different member states.

And the responses were not just the usual, passive, dare I say, tired, "Yes, I agree, you can put my name to it," but positive, active, "Here is a statement for the press release as well" type. We were shocked at how quickly and eagerly members were willing to put their names on the line in support of this campaign--even though it was probably going to have little impact in their constituencies back home.

The responses were inspiring: Lousewies van der Laan, MEP for The Netherlands, said: "The Condoms4Life Campaign carries an important life-saving message. With 2.6 million people dying of AIDS last year alone, fighting this disease is the most urgent challenge facing people worldwide. We must use every resource we have, including condoms."

Ulla Sandbaek, (Denmark), stated: "As a Lutheran pastor, I find it in complete contradiction to the gospel to pursue a policy which is killing people. Making any kind of law and order out of the gospel is perverting it and a very illuminating example of that is the Vatican's policy on condoms. Christ's only concern was compassion and love, and I believe he would be horrified about the position of a church that says it is acting in his name today."

Ann van Lancker, (Belgium), said, "More and more adolescents engage in unprotected sex nowadays. Providing information on condom use and the provision of condoms is a crucial part of an open-minded sexuality education that is based on young people's real needs. Banning condom use means being blind to the potential life endangering consequences of unprotected sex. Basically, it denies young people's right to a healthy and carefree life."

Glenys Kinnock (UK), a Member of the Development Committee and Co-President of the EU/ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, said, "The campaign is a welcome addition to efforts which have to be taken to ensure that we raise awareness of the need for a responsible attitude to health rights in developing countries. It is regrettable that the bishops undermine these efforts by opposing initiatives around the world that encourage condom use as a part of public health policy for those who are sexually active and at risk."

Mary Banotti (Ireland), said, "Use of condoms is an essential part of the worldwide campaign to prevent the catastrophic spread of HIV/AIDS."

Lissy Groner (Germany), said, "I think it is appalling that the bishops abandon their faithful and expose them to the risk of dying from AIDS."

It appears that many of our MEPS agree with UNAIDS Director Peter Piot, who stated in June 2001, "When priests preach against using contraception, they are committing a serious mistake which is costing human lives. We do not ask the church to promote contraception, but merely to stop banning its use."

And, while we were astounded at how quickly the responses poured in, after the advert went to press, the signatures and statements continued to come in from MEPs who had been abroad or away from their offices.

Condoms4Life is an unprecedented worldwide public education effort, aimed at Catholics and non-Catholics, to raise public awareness about the devastating effect of the bishops' ban on condoms in preventing new infections of HIV/AIDS. The campaign is sponsored by Catholics for a Free Choice, its partners in Europe and Latin America and colleagues in Africa and Asia. The Condoms4Life website contains facts on HIV/AIDS and details of the Catholic hierarchy's opposition to condoms around the world. Information and ads can be viewed at: www.Condoms4Life.org.

Elfriede Harth is CFFC's European representative.