Brother Paul of is a member of the Societas Verbi Divini (Society of the Divine Word) based in Cebu, Philippines. The SVD is the third largest and growing religious missionary congregation in the Catholic Church. Brother Paul works extensively with marginalized populations that are the most vulnerable to HIV.
How did you get involved in HIV awareness and outreach?
I was involved in these activities together with Father Heinz Kulueke of Germany, who spent almost 30 years in Cebu. We were involved in handing out condoms and needles to those most at risk with the aim of saving lives. The Society of the Divine Word has long been concerned with those on the periphery, the most marginalized. As for me, my early work focused on prisoners, dump site dwellers, prostituted and trafficked women and children, and street children in the early 1970s. I then spent 15 years in Papua New Guinea, arriving there just as HIV emerged. I came back to Cebu in the 1990s, and learned of some of the earliest HIV cases here among sex workers, bar dancers who died of AIDS in early 2000. As the true picture began to be revealed, I got involved more and more with HIV, trying to do what we could to save people from becoming infected regardless of their background.
What is the reaction of others from the church to the work you do?
Even though there is more awareness now about HIV, the stigma remains so high, even within the church. I and others who do this work are misunderstood, but we continue. Attitudes are improving though. In the 1980s, the Cebuano word “gaba” was used – meaning “you deserve it”, “you live a bad life so you get HIV”, a kind of karma. But now I am seeing more understanding, bit by bit, in the church and outside it.
I try to use my influence to convince law enforcement authorities not to target or harass vulnerable populations like sex workers or drug users. I share my experiences in outreach wherever I can, whatever forum I get. I take people living with HIV or those at risk of HIV with me when I give my talks to various audiences so that they can share their stories and make people understand the challenges of their lives.
I am fortunate that my work is supported by some concerned people from the local and international community.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has a Committee for Social Action which is more in touch with the realities of life now, including a group that works on HIV. They have sought to impress the church in Cebu to be more proactive in HIV outreach. The CBCP even has pastoral letter about HIV/AIDS but many church leaders are not aware of it. The pastoral letter on HIV and AIDS asks “Who is my neighbour?” and requests that every local parish become a place for education about HIV/ AIDS and that PLHIV will feel at home and experience the healing power of Jesus, that church workers, seminarians and clergy learn the basic knowledge of HIV and AIDS and that voluntary confidential counselling and testing be encouraged.
I avail of these opportunities to speak openly about the things I am seeing, the lessons I am learning from those I meet who are facing the HIV challenge.
Doesn’t handing out condoms and harm reduction material go against the teachings of the church? How do you address this contradiction?
There is man-made law and there is God’s law. And God’s law is love. This reminds me of St. Paul who said, “Love above all else”.
There is now more discussion and openness within the church about this. The church now considers in special cases the use of condoms for sex workers to help protect them and save their lives and prevent the spread of HIV. Even law enforcement officers, many of them, know that the work we do saves lives and makes society safer. I will act as my conscience dictates – it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission!
What also helps is the involvement of WHO to support the local Cebu health authorities to address HIV here in a more systematic way and to work with the marginalized groups and people like myself. Having a respected organization like WHO to support the work that we do is very important.
What is the impact of the HIV-related outreach that you do?
I am a member of the Discernment Committee on HIV and AIDS of the church here in Cebu. This committee is to help the high-risk population such as those prostituted and trafficked women and children. I was also elected as the media person of Philippine Catholic HIV and AIDS Network (PhilCHAN) – Visayas, and I conduct lectures on HIV whenever and wherever I can – we must educate everyone.
I also speak to students at the university here, I find that young people are generally very receptive and understanding, keen to know and keen to help. For these students, these young people, I compare HIV to a computer virus – you see, they understand computers. I say “once your computer gets a virus that you can’t remove, you can’t use the computer anymore.” It may sound simplistic, but it hits home.
I also speak about the ABC model – ABC as you know stands for abstinence, be faithful and use condoms. But when I speak about ABC I focus the C for “use your Conscience” and the use of condom only when needed – whether it’s doing the right thing by yourself or for others. For me God is considerate and merciful – I say that “The God we have is only concerned with what is best for us.”
HIV still scares people very much. Sometimes people ask me to get their HIV test results for them, they are afraid of doing so on their own.
When I interact with persons living with HIV, my chief concern is “How can I renew their spirit? How can I make them want to live a long and healthy life?” So I listen and listen, let them release their sorrow and anger and fear and depression. In so doing, they eventually find their strength. I tell them, “What is past is past. We are in the present. We must look to the future. We have remedies both of medicine and of spirit. The two go hand in hand.”