Cardinal Onaiyekan on the Church's response to HIV/AIDS at a local level

(Vatican Radio) The United Nations and the Catholic Church’s aid and development confederation Caritas Internationalis, came together this week to host an international conference aimed at strengthening collaboration and bringing an end to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
The two day meeting noted the effectiveness of faith-based organisations that are engaged in treatment and support for people living with HIV.
It also identified a number of challenges including, the need for significant financial investment in treatment services, and the inclusion of faith based organizations in decision making at national levels.
One of the participants at the gathering was Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja in Nigeria.
He spoke to Lydia O’Kane about the response of the Catholic Church to HIV/AIDS at a local level.
“The impact of HIV cannot come down to the grassroots level until it becomes part and parcel of the menu of homilies and catechetical instruction.
The Cardinal goes on the say that it is the parish priest and priests who have been trained in the seminaries that become the “church leaders, they are the voice of the Church at the local level.” Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s interview with Cardinal Onaiyekan