Clash Costs Two Helpers (Press, 21 December 1988)
This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: Clash Costs Two Helpers (Press, 21 December 1988)
A conflict has arisen between the Catholic Church and the A.I.D.S. Foundation in Christchurch, resulting in the loss of two Sisters of Compassion who were assisting the foundation. The Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, Most Rev. Basil Meeking, ordered the sisters to cease their involvement due to the foundation's promotion of activities deemed unacceptable under Catholic moral teachings. One sister had been providing support to those living with A.I.D.S. and their families, while the other was involved in education. Bishop Meeking's assistant, Rev. Ray Schmack, explained that the foundation's materials contradicted the teachings of the Church and undermined societal moral standards. In contrast, the co-ordinator of the A.I.D.S. Foundation, Ian Smith, defended the group's intentions, stating their objective was to save lives. He noted realism needed to be embraced regarding casual partnerships, which he deemed unlikely to cease entirely. Mr Smith expressed regret over the sisters' departure, highlighting their vital role in offering compassion and support, and warned that adhering strictly to the Church's philosophy might put individuals at greater risk. Father Schmack denied any suggestion that the Bishop opposed assistance to those affected by A.I.D.S., calling such claims "deplorable and absolutely untrue." He asserted that Bishop Meeking had been actively engaged with diverse groups to tackle the A.I.D.S. crisis since his appointment 18 months prior. He also mentioned plans to invite the diocese to engage in discussions and participate in an education programme on the matter in early 1989. Furthermore, Father Schmack underscored the Catholic Church's commitment globally to address A.I.D.S. and care for those impacted by it. He expressed regret that the situation had been publicised in a way that painted the Bishop as unsympathetic, reiterating that such portrayals were inaccurate. A representative from the Sisters of Compassion confirmed their commitment to abide by the Bishop's decisions, noting that their operations in any diocese depend on the Bishop's invitation and instructions. The spokesperson affirmed respect for the Bishop's authority and decisions.
Important Information
The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact
The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand