Berkley Center

The Catholic Church’s role in the HIV/AIDS pandemic is rarely recognized for its double-edged nature as both a major stumbling block to dismantling harmful norms around sexuality, as well as a vital lifeline to those afflicted with the virus. Balancing Catholic doctrine’s strong emphasis on the care and dignity of the sick with an obstinate preservation of the sanctity of heterosexual monogamy, the Church struck a paradoxical duality of destructive stigmatization and history-changing advocacy and service in its interactions with the crisis. While perpetuating narratives that hindered access to preventative resources for communities most susceptible to HIV/AIDS, it also emerged as the first major institution to actively create high-quality care for HIV/AIDS-positive individuals and effectively push the previously neglected issue onto the federal agenda, making HIV/AIDS a presidential priority in foreign affairs for years to come.