A History of Achievement

The Network developed the College Leaders HIV/AIDS Awareness Initiative to reach out to students, faculty and staff of Catholic colleges and universities to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

The completion of the bilingual resource packet for observance of AIDS Compassion Sunday became of great help to parishes and dioceses which want to motivate more effective responses to the pandemic among the Catholic faithful. AIDS Compassion Sunday was developed in the Archdiocese of Newark to provide a resource for parishes to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The program builds upon the principles of Catholic Social Teaching as a framework for viewing the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

With the successful transition of leadership and of the office to Chicago, the Network entered into a new chapter in its history. In early 2004, Dan Lunney was appointed as the new Executive Director, following its first full-time Executive Director, Rev. Rodney DeMartini.

The Network’s relationships with other ministry offices in the country – on both national and diocesan levels – were strengthened. Of particular interest was the collaboration with the Secretariats for Hispanic Affairs and for African American Catholics at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Leadership Campaign on AIDS supported the Network’s efforts in assisting the Church in the United States to reach people of color with both HIV/AIDS education and care.

The Network participated in intensified its collaboration with various Catholic educational and catechetical organizations, including the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and the Secretariat for Education of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.