Yesterday evening I made my way to the Royal Irish Academy on Dublin's Dawson Street, negotiating my way through the first of the Christmas shopping madness. I attended the first inaugural lecture in Professor Michael Kelly series.

Michael Kelly is a Jesuit from Zambia and has been for many years the Professor of Education at the University of Zambia. He has a very distinguished record in the service of education in Zambia. In recent years he has become a passionate advocate for people who are stigmatised because they have been infected with the HIV virus.

Also speaking yesterday evening was the UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS for Africa, Stephen Lewis, a Candadian with an equally distinguished record in the service of humanity.
Both speakers were passionate and both held the audience rapt for over two hours.

Fr. Michael Kelly spoke about the layers of prejudice that feeds the community rejection of people with AIDS. He described all forms of stigmatisation and discrimination as immoral. They involve a profound rejection of our common humanity. He recalled poignantly Nkosi Johnson's courageous battle with AIDS. Nkosi Johnson was a young South African boy who died at the age of 12, having survived twelve years longer than was expected. He had spoken powerfully at the AIDS Conference in Durban some years ago. Michael recalled Nkosi's words on that occasion: "Care for us and accept us. We are normal. We are all the same."

I was delighted that Professor Kelly referred to the work of the Brothers in Africa and, in particular, to the recent conferences sponsored by the Christian Brothers in East Africa. It is a clear indication of the integrity and authenticity of the Edmund Rice charism that Brothers and lay colleagues in Africa have committed themselves to undertake advocacy and social justice actions to combat prejudice and stigmatisation.