Dear Father: I am a theology student in my early forties,living in Canada. I am not RC, but feel very comfortable with my Catholic friends. I have had a difficult time completeing my first year of studies. I was placed in my first field placement in a local parish aan I was able ot minister to the best of my ability with the help of God. However, it has been a year of searching for spiritual connections that would help me. I have found a spiritual director and have gone to a gathering where we all chanted, read Holy Scriptures and prayed. But I never know when to share my struggle and it has become the biggest paart of my life and spirituality at the moment. I have just been infected for a little over a year. I have had a great deal of difficulty in finding printed spiritual material to help me. Are ther any that you could suggest for me? One of my professors is a Jewish Rabbi, who is from San Francisco and when I asked him, he suggested I go to the local AIDS organizations. There is, however very little ther on Spirituality and HIV! Any suggestions would help, Thank You Father.

Dear Friend, Thank you for your letter. I want to assure you of my personal support and prayers in this journey to connect your living with HIV with your spiritual quest. For many years I have heard people reflect upon an awareness of a spiritual search and hunger as they bear the challenges of HIV/AIDS. I am sure that while some things have been written there is a need to continue to articulate the search and discovery. I can recommend a little book of daily meditations called "The Color of Light" by Tilleraas. Also, you might want to check on our web page (www.ncan.org) for some additional publications which may interest you. I also hope that you will write your own reflections which could add some richness to the fabric of spiritual insights which the pandemic elicits. Blessings and peace! Fr. Rod