National Catholic AIDS Network (U.S.)

Established 1986; discountinued 2007. HIV/AIDS ministry. The first national gathering of people working in HIV/AIDS ministry took place at Notre Dame University in 1988. In response to the conference, the National Catholic AIDS Network (NCAN) was founded in 1989 by a group of diverse leaders in the Catholic Church, including clergy and lay people. NCAN was the only organization devoted exclusively to helping the Catholic Church respond with compassion and understanding to the HIV/AIDS crisis. NCAN members were from the United States, but its scope was international as they raised awareness and money for the international AIDS crisis. The organization concentrated on helping Catholic agencies, communities, and individuals by providing educational resources. NCAN hosted an annual conference about HIV/AIDS ministry from 1988 to 2006.