In many ways the Israeli / Palestinian problem is like the Irish problem.
You have two sides claiming the same piece of land and no great effort at finding a solution.
In fact, in Northern Ireland Republican areas they fly the Palestinian flag and in Loyalist areas they fly the Israeli flag 🙄
I have been to Jerusalem twice and fell immediately in love with the city. The Jesus connection blew me away.
On both occasions I also travelled to the Galilee area and to Tel Aviv.
I made a point of attending a synagogue ceremony and also visited the Dome of the Rock mosque.
Our tour guide was a Jewish woman and I invited her to put the Jewish position to us.
The driver was Palestinian and I asked him to talk to us about the Palestinian position.
I am not on either side.
I think that both Jews and Palestinians have a right to be there.
And I believe that the solution has to be a TWO NATION SOLUTION.
And I understand that Jerusalem itself is a big issue.
As is the Dome of the Rock mosque on the Temple site.
TROCAIRE ?
Should Trocaire be involving itself in the politics of the conflict?
On the one hand you can say that Trocaire is a charity and should stick to charitable matters like providing food, water, shelter, employment, training, health etc.
On the other hand you can say that JUSTICE is very much the business of a Catholic charity.
Trocaire’s own logo says
WORKING FOR A JUST WORLD.
And the great CND leader, Monsignor Bruce Kent once said
BRUCE KEBT
“What is politics except how we organise our daily life. And Christianity must care about about people’s daily lives”.
We Christians should want Justice for both Palestinians and Jews.
But it often hard to get people to agree on what justice is, especially in inflamed situations.
YESTERDAY WAS WORLD AIDS DAY. BELOW ARE SOME IMPORTANT STATISTICS.
FROM NHS
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name used to describe a number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when your immune system has been severely damaged by the HIV virus.
While AIDS cannot be transmitted from 1 person to another, the HIV virus can.
There’s currently no cure for HIV, but there are very effective drug treatments that enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life.
With an early diagnosis and effective treatments, most people with HIV will not develop any AIDS-related illnesses and will live a near-normal lifespan.
PAT
Many people, even some doctors and other medical professionals are ignorant and uneducated when it comes to HIV and AIDS
As said above HIV is a virus that weakens the immune system.
AIDS is the name used to describe potentially life threatening infections in an immune system weakened by HIV.
ANTIRETROVIRALS are the wonder drugs that have been invented and perfected over the years that strengthen the immune system of a person with HIV and prevents them getting AIDS.
When you are diagnosed with HIV and start taking he ANTIRETROVIRALS the amount of HIV decreases in you body and gets to the point where it can be designated as UNDETECTABLE.
If you are UNDETECTABLE you cannot pass on HIV to another person.
HIV is no longer a death sentence and has not been for years.
HIV is now a treatable and manageable health condition.
A particular priest I know has both HIV and diabetes.
Diabetes is a much greater threat to his health and life than his HIV.
WARNING
Everybody out there who has sex with more than one person in a committed relationship should have regular sexual health checks.
There are quite a number of very unpleasant infections that sexually active people can get.
Today, let us mourn the 40.1 million of our brothers and sisters who have perished since the start of the HIV / AIDS pandemic.
Let us pray for all those affected by HIV / AIDSespecially in poorer countries where sexual health services are poor and antiretrovirals unavailable.
Let us pray for our brothers and sisters in our own communities who are sexually active that they will look after their health and protect themselves and others.
AND LET EACH OF US – MEN AND WOMEN – LOOK AFTER OURSELVES AND OTHERS.
PLACES TO SEEK HELP.
HIV confidential helpline
Positive Life supports and promotes positive living for people with, and affected by, HIV.
It runs a free phone helpline providing information, advice, and support to people living with, and affected by, HIV.
The helpline operates Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 