Controversial Priest Continues Working
Even though he is known for disagreeing with Catholic Church policies on AIDS and condoms, a German priest has been cleared to continue fighting the disease in Cape Town, South Africa. A spokesperson for Stefan Hippler’s home diocese in Trier, Germany, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “Despite his critical statements, Hippler has earned great achievements with his work.” (HIVPLUS Magazine)
Quite a lot of people asking me after reading such notices more or less frank whether the permission to stay and work in South Africa is connected to any conditions.. And here is the answer: No, there are no secretly imposed conditions.
There is only the agreement between me and the Bishop of Trier that we want to foster the cooperation between Europe and Africa, between Germany and South Africa, between the dioceses on both continents and the desire to develop a good pastoral care and a good theology regarding the topic HIV and AIDS. To bring Africa more in focus for the department of World Church Affairs in my home diocese of Trier and to work together with Justice & Peace as I do it already here in Cape Town – these should be fruits of my future work with HOPE Cape Town and the Catholic AIDS Network of the Archdiocese of Cape Town.
We both see the immense needs in the field of HIV and AIDS and we both have the desire that the church indeed serves the people living with the HI virus as much as possible.
Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Reflection, Aids, cape town, church catholic church, Church Matters, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, pastoral care, people living with hiv, priest, south africa
God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE 