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December 2002
People Honored, People Energized: The New Directions Conference
Close to 100 people came together in Austin in October to seek “new directions” and to recognize individuals and groups who have given of themselves with great generosity. The conference was co-sponsored by the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In his welcoming letter, Lutheran Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson spoke of the “deep commitment” of his church to HIV/AIDS prevention, intervention, and education. The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold said in his letter that the Episcopal Church
“… owes a great debt of gratitude for your work and those countless others throughout the country who teach, educate, and support HIV/AIDS Ministries. Each time you do this work you carry the love of Christ into the world.”
Dr. Joseph O’Neill and NEAC co-chair (and conference co-chair) Father Bill Frampton listen intently to the speakers at the awards lunch.
Keynote Speakers
Highlights of the conference were the two luncheon speakers, who approach AIDS from two very different perspectives.
Mary Moreno, the speaker on Friday, is a Latina grandmother with a master’s degree in human services who has been living with AIDS for 16 years. She spoke movingly about how the disease has affected her life, and changed some of her prejudices. She contracted the virus from tainted blood she received during an operation—and learned about it by phone when her doctor called her at work. “The first thing I did was call my best friend,” she said. Her husband, Gabino Moreno, who was present at the luncheon, remains her best friend, and remains HIV negative.
Father Michael D. Chalk, rector of St. Mark’s in San Antonio, accepts the NEAC Award on behalf of the church’s AIDS Support Network.
Although her family, including her five children, were highly supportive, her employer, the Austin Department of Planning and Development, was not. Her supervisor started a campaign of harassment so severe that after two years, Mrs. Moreno filed a lawsuit for HIV harassment. Hers was the first such case that went to court and, to everyone’s surprise, the jury awarded her $250,000. When the city threatened a lengthy appeal, Moreno settled for a smaller but still substantial amount.
She has since become an AIDS activist, speaking around the country and working for two years as a board member of the National Catholic AIDS Network. Her particular concern is for Hispanic and other women of color. “The normal stigma of HIV is intensified because of our culture,” Moreno says. “I tell Hispanic women that they have value, and they need to honor that value.”
The speaker at the Awards Luncheon on Saturday, October 12, was Joseph O’Neill, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., newly appointed as Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. Dr. O’Neill, who appeared though battling a bout of ?u, spoke of how federal dollars are going to help those in very poor countries to help combat the spread of the disease as well as serve those already infected, and of the need to do more overseas.
(from left) NEAC board member Gilberto Hinds, Bishop Claude Payne, NEAC co-chair Bruce Garner and members of the congregation of St. David’s in Austin prepare for the Healing Service processional.
This was the first faith-based event that Dr. O’Neill had addressed in his new position, and he congratulated those present, commenting on how much the government has learned from members of the faith community. He also acknowledged that some of those present might have differences of opinion with the Bush administration, “We cannot get where we need to go if we do not have the tough conversations we need—and like a family, we may disagree… . HIV/AIDS is everyone’s concern even though we have different social and economic approaches.”
2002 NEAC Awards
At its conferences, NEAC honors those who embody the spirit of NEAC’s vision: to educate others about HIV/AIDS; to advocate for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of all people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS; and to promote pastoral care for all persons affected by HIV/AIDS. The winners this year were:
Tommie Moore (r.) led the delegation from award-winner All Saints Episcopal Church in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Patricia L. Swett, Ft. Myers, FL: In 1991 Pat helped start a drop-in center for people affected by HIV/AIDS and helped found the Gainesville Area AIDS Project, which is still going strong today. In 1994 she lost one of her sons to AIDS. Since moving to Ft. Myers with her husband in 1997 she has volunteered with the Lee County AIDS Task Force and is working to make inroads at the Sheriff’s Stockade, speaking with inmates about HIV/AIDS. “I could never have imagined doing the thing I have joined in,” she says. “I thank God for everything he has given me.”
All Saints Episcopal Church, Tupelo, MS: All Saints adopted the Teens for AIDS Prevention (TAP) program as part of its youth education program in 1997, and the youth of the church have put together a TAP training workshop for local community churches of other denominations. They have also done a presentation about TAP to the Annual Clergy Conference for the Dioceses of Mississippi. The clergy of All Saints are often called upon by the larger community to provide pastoral care, counseling, and spiritual guidance and personal support for those affected by HIV/AIDS. (A report on the Tupelo program appeared in NEACtion, spring 2001.)
Keynote speaker Mary Moreno (r ) and her husband, Gabino, listen to the introduction by NEAC director and conference co-chair Todd Ferguson.
AIDS Support Network, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, San Antonio, TX: As the mission statement of the Network says, “Empowered by God’s boundless love, the members of the AIDS Support Network seek to nurture compassion within St. Mark’s Episcopal Church for our neighbors who are living with AIDS and offer nonjudgmental support to these persons and their families so they might live in peace with dignity.” Founded in 1997 this ministry provides transportation, visitation, shopping, cleaning, cooking, and relief to primary caregivers.
2002 Tull-Washburn Citations
These citations are given in honor and memory of Tom Tull and Ron Washburn, NEAC founders and early benefactors. Through their unending commitment and advocacy, Tull and Washburn exemplified the compassion and love that the Gospel imperative compels us to provide to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Tull-Washburn Citations are given to those who through their dedicated work and ministries have distinguished themselves as true disciples of Christ in support of those affected by HIV/AIDS, and for their constant support for the work of NEAC. This year’s recipients:
Esther Walter, Des Moines, IA: Esther worked in sexuality and health education and staff training for over 20 years while working with local, diocesan and state interfaith AIDS groups. She served on the NEAC Board of Directors from 1989 to 1995 and on the Episcopal Church’s Standing Committee on HIV/AIDS from 1993 to 1997. She is an associate of the Order of St. Helena. In other Episcopal Church activities, she was one of the authors of Sexuality: A Divine Gift and Youth Suicide Prevention. She also represents the Diocese of Iowa on the Board of the Iowa Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
The Rev. Dr. Richard G. Younge, Seattle, WA: During the earliest years of the pandemic, as campus minister at the University of Washington, Richard preached about HIV/ AIDS, advocated for AIDS ministries in the Diocese of Olympia, supported HIV/AIDS education on college campuses, and provided pastoral care for those most affected. Moving to Grambling, Louisiana in 1986, he again was an avowed advocate for HIV/AIDS education and ministries. A Director of the national organization for Ministry in Higher Education, Richard took the message there as well. Elected to the Board of Directors in NEAC in 1988, he served for 12 years, the last six as President. He has also been a member of the Standing Committee on HIV/AIDS. He advocated for NEAC at four General Conventions, and continues as pastor, teacher, counselor, and friend to those affected by the virus. He is now a member of Episcopal Caring Response to HIV/AIDS, a commission of the Diocese of Olympia.
Healing Service
The conference closed with a Solemn Mass and Healing Service at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin. The Celebrant was the Rt. Rev. Claude Payne, Bishop of the Dioceses of Texas.
Material from the workshops at the New Directions conference will be discussed in future issues of NEACtion.
