- Title: VARIOUS/FILE: Pope Benedict says condoms sometimes permissible to stop AIDS
- Date: 21st November 2010
- Summary: VATICAN CITY (NOVEMBER 20, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ST. PETER'S BASILICA CARDINAL FRANCIS ARINZE AT VATICAN MEETING FOR NEW CARDINALS VARIOUS OF NEW ITALIAN CARDINAL GIANFRANCO RAVASI GREETING WELL-WISHERS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) BRAZILIAN CARDINAL CLAUDIO HUMMES SAYING: "I think that many things have changed, the world is changing very fast because everything is very dynamic today. Also the culture changes. More and more, and stronger and stronger, the dominating culture is post-modern everywhere in the world. And this is the new challenge for the church." NEW AMERICAN CARDINAL AND HEAD OF A TOP VATICAN TRIBUNAL RAYMOND LEO BURKE WELL-WISHERS BURKE HOLDING CROSS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) BRAZILIAN CARDINAL CLAUDIO HUMMES SAYING: "Over all, I'd say that the new evangelisation, this new Pontificial Council that has been created by the Pope is fundamental for the church of today. I wish that these new cardinals as well take that to heart, this new evangelisation, which in some cases must even be the first evangelisation, also in Europe as well as in many other locations where they have been Christians for a long time but are in need of this new evangelisation." VARIOUS OF NEW ZAMBIAN CARDINAL MEDARDO JOSEPH MAZOMBWE BLESSING WELL-WISHERS NEW AMERICAN CARDINAL DONALD WILLIAM WUERL GREETING WELL-WISHERS NEW CARDINAL GREETING WELL-WISHERS
- Embargoed: 6th December 2010 12:00
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- Topics: Health,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA3YIJKU7KJ6JATP47Q6TISVMJ3
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- Story Text: A Vatican newspaper on Saturday (November 20) evening published excerpts from a new book in which Pope Benedict says that the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS may be justified in certain cases.
The comments by the pope could herald the start of sea change in the Vatican's attitude to condoms.
In the excerpts published in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano ahead of the book's publication next week, the pope cites the example of the use of condoms by prostitutes as "a first step towards moralisation" even though condoms are "not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection".
While some Roman Catholic leaders have spoken in the past about the limited use of condoms in specific cases to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS as a lesser of two evils, this is the first time the pope has mentioned the possibility himself in public.
L'Osservatore Romano unexpectedly published significant excerpts from the book on Saturday night, days before extracts were initially due to be made public.
The pope's words appeared to be a major shift in the Vatican's attitude. While no formal position existed in a Vatican document, the majority of Church leaders have been saying for decades that the use of condoms was not even part of the solution to fighting aids.
The late cardinal John O'Connor of New York famously branded the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS as "The Big Lie".
Last year, the pope caused an international uproar when he told journalists taking him to Africa that condoms should not be used because they could worsen the spread of AIDS.
"You can't overcome this problem of AIDS with just money. It helps, but if there is no soul, the money cannot help. You can't overcome it by just distributing condoms, you will increase it. The only solution is two-fold: the first is a humanisation of sexuality, a human, spiritual renewal which brings with it a new way of behaving among people and, secondly, a true friendship, especially for those who are suffering, a willingness to make personal sacrifices," the Pope said on a plane to Cameroon in March 2009.
Attending a Vatican event in honour of newly-appointed cardinals on Saturday, Brazilian cardinal Claudio Hummes said that changes in the society posed new challenges for the church.
"I think that many things have changed, the world is changing very fast because everything is very dynamic today. Also the culture changes. More and more, and stronger and stronger, the dominating culture is post-modern everywhere in the world. And this is the new challenge for the church."
Hummes added that it was fundamental that the Church reached out in order to prevent stagnation.
"Over all, I'd say that the new evangelisation, this new Pontificial Council that has been created by the pope is fundamental for the church of today. I wish that these new cardinals as well take that to heart, this new evangelisation, which in some cases must even be the first evangelisation, also in Europe as well as in many other locations where they have been Christians for a long time but are in need of this new evangelisation," he said.
The new book, called Light of the World, is made up of Benedict's responses to questions by German Catholic journalist Peter Seewald over a month of meetings at the papal summer residence.
The pope says that the "sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalisation of sexuality" where sexuality is no longer an expression of love "but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves".
After the pope first mentions that the use of condoms could be justified in certain limited cases, such as by prostitutes, Seewald asks: "Are you saying, then, that the Catholic Church is actually not opposed in principle to the use of condoms?"
The pope answers: "She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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