Immigration and the AIDS link

[mark_a]

Well its not what you might think.

I was listening to Jesse Romero’s radio program today and what a shocker.

He expanded on a story by the New York Times.

Latino immigrants are coming to this country, falling victim to the culture, being infected with AIDS, and spreading it when they go back home. The areas most affected are the poorest.

The stats were mind boggling.

Many of the men are living bigomous lives, with a family here and a family back home. Knowing that their lives are sinful, they avoid the Catholic Church and are being drawn into churches that tell them what they want to hear.

I was only able to catch the first 20 minutes of the show. Did anyone else catch the rest of today’s show?

 

[Teelynn]

Keeping in mind that most of Mexico (I presume this is the country you are talking about?) is Catholic, it sheds some light as to the “why” in my mind that there seems to be a significant amount of hispanics that belong to protestant denominations. Please don’t get me wrong, as I am sure that protestants do not give a nod and a wink to bigamy, but the sin and forgiveness factor is a totally different theology in a good number of protestant denominations than it is in the Catholic Church. Very enlightening and very tragic.

We have talked about the fact that a good number of hispanic people in my particular area are leaving the Catholic Church for Protestant Churches in my PPC meetings in my parish wondering if we could tap into the reasoning for this and do something more to attract them or at least keep them in the Church. No one has ever come to a reasonable explanation. I hate to say this but if you really think about the situation, it is not beyond understanding nor is it far fetched for this tragedy to be happening.

 

[Dale_M]

I was only able to catch the first 20 minutes of the show. Did anyone else catch the rest of today’s show?

I didn’t hear the show, but here is the link to the New York Times article: us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/Health/aids___hiv/news_stories/SIG=120v0fv07;_ylt=AtvVwtXNvUlac6_OHSZIhdigyygB/*http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/world/americas/17mexico.html?ref=todayspaper

The connection between HIV and migratory labor is well-known and seems to be global in scope. Being absent from one’s family, community and social connections seems to increase risk-taking behavior at a time when the persons are feeling bereft.

The Americas have been fortunate to have a relatively low HIV prevalence. But yes, the U.S. rate is higher than that of Mexico so its one more potential cost of living here.

 

[mark_a]

the sin and forgiveness factor is a totally different theology in a good number of protestant denominations than it is in the Catholic Church. Very enlightening and very tragic.

This goes along with what Jesse was saying.

We have talked about the fact that a good number of hispanic people in my particular area are leaving the Catholic Church for Protestant Churches in my PPC meetings in my parish wondering if we could tap into the reasoning for this and do something more to attract them or at least keep them in the Church. No one has ever come to a reasonable explanation.

Jesse’s reasoning sounded solid. I went to his site before I started this thread to see if I could provide a link, but I did not see anything.

Come on Jesse, hook us up!

 

[mark_a]

I didn’t hear the show, but here is the link to the New York Times article: us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/Health/aids___hiv/news_stories/SIG=120v0fv07;_ylt=AtvVwtXNvUlac6_OHSZIhdigyygB/*http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/world/americas/17mexico.html?ref=todayspaper

The connection between HIV and migratory labor is well-known and seems to be global in scope. Being absent from one’s family, community and social connections seems to increase risk-taking behavior at a time when the persons are feeling bereft.

The Americas have been fortunate to have a relatively low HIV prevalence. But yes, the U.S. rate is higher than that of Mexico so its one more potential cost of living here.

Thanks for the link.

Jesse had a lot of insight from a Catholic perspective to add to this article.