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March 10th and 20th are days of national observance to encourage people to show support for persons living with HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness of its continuing impact.

March 10th, National Women and Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, sheds light on the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. Despite tremendous progress against the disease in the U.S., women remain vulnerable to the infection---especially African American and Hispanic women. Currently there are 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., and nearly 1/4th or 23% of them are women.

March 20th is National Native (American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The day’s theme is “A Celebration of Life.” HIV affects thousands in these populations which have the 3rd highest rate of AIDS diagnoses in the U.S., despite having the smallest population. They are more likely to be younger than their non-native peers and have a shorter time between AIDS diagnosis and death.

KNOW YOUR STATUS…GET TESTED…AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO GET TESTED

For more information call: 312-948-6500 or go to hivaidsservicesministry.org

A suggested petition to include on the weekends of 3/7 and 3/8 and/or 3/14 and 3/15:

Compassionate God, strengthen all persons living with HIV or AIDS to live fully with hope and peace…we pray.

This national week of prayer brings national attention to the AIDS epidemic in the United States and to the extraordinary role that faith communities can and are playing in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic—in AIDS prevention, education, service and advocacy. It is the coming together of all people of faith to unite with purpose, compassion and love. One of its primary goals is to strengthen our nation’s faith communities to influence social norms and thereby contribute to the prevention of HIV and provide compassionate support to those who are living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Every church, mosque, synagogue, temple and home is invited to join in prayer, education, advocacy and service for the healing of AIDS in the United States and around the world.

In unity with this week of prayer across our nation, we offer the following petitions:
God of Compassion,
Make us one as we challenge poverty, ignorance and fear, prejudice and discrimination of those living with HIV/AIDS;
Make us one as we pray for all caregivers, researchers and those who work to prevent the spread of HIV;
Make us one as we walk with all who live with and are affected by HIV/AIDS;
Make us one as we pray for the millions of children who are now orphans because of AIDS and for the millions who have died of AIDS
St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Patron of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers, pray for us.

Catholic Charities HIV/AIDS Task Force for the Archdiocese of Chicago: (312) 948-6500

Did you know that there are over 1 ¼ million people in the USA living with HIV, the virus which causes AIDS? It is estimated that 20% of them DO NOT KNOW that they are infected with the virus. If you do not know that you have the virus, you could be spreading it to others. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Stigma, discrimination and shame---these continue to prevent people from talking about HIV, getting tested or seeking treatment. The HIV /AIDS epidemic is a health care crisis for Blacks, especially African Americans. On February 7th and throughout the year, please pray for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. For information visit www.HIVAIDSServicesMinistry.org, or call (312) 948-6500.

El 7 de febrero es el Día Nacional de la Concientización del VIH/SIDA en la Comunidad Afroamericana

¿Sabía usted que hay más de 1.25 millones de personas en los Estados Unidos que padecen del VIH, el virus que causa el SIDA? Una cuarta parte de ellos NO SABEN que están infectados con el virus. Si usted no sabe si está infectado con el VIH, puede estar contagiando a otras personas. La única forma de saber si tiene el VIH es haciéndose una prueba. El estigma, la discriminación y la vergüenza, impiden que las personas hablen sobre el VIH, hacerse la prueba o buscar tratamiento. Le epidemia del VIH/SIDA es una crisis de salud, en especial para los afroamericanos. Este 7 de febrero, y durante todo el año, por favor pida por las personas infectadas y afectadas por el VIH/SIDA. Para más información visite www.HIVAIDSServicesMinistry.org o llame al (312) 948-6500.

P.S.

Please ask your pastor and/or liturgy team to include a petition such as the following in the weekend masses of February 1st and 2nd and/or February 8th and 9th:

“God of Hope, make us one as we walk in solidarity with all who live with HIV/AIDS. Encourage our hearts and open our minds. We pray…”