Catholic HIV/AIDS Workers Welcome Pope's Message On Condoms

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 06 Dec 2010 - 3:00 PDT


Some Catholic aid workers in Africa say they have been quietly offering condoms for years to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, even though Pope Benedict XVI only recently condoned condom use in certain cases, the AP/Google News reports. Benedict's statement that male sex workers could potentially use condoms to protect against HIV/AIDS essentially "acknowledged that the church's long-held stance against birth control does not justify putting lives at risk," according to the AP/Google News.

Africa is the continent with the largest population of people living with HIV/AIDS and fastest-growing population of Catholic converts, giving the pope's comments particularly far-reaching implications. The Catholic Church is the world's largest private provider of HIV/AIDS care, such as antiretroviral drugs and counseling, according to the AP/Google News.

Although many Catholic priests, nuns and lay workers in Africa said they are glad to have the pope's blessing to distribute condoms, some also emphasized that the church still feels abstinence and fidelity are the best long-term solution to the problem of HIV/AIDS. They added that condoms should be distributed cautiously.

Moreover, some conservative Catholic theologians remain opposed to condom use in any instance, since they are still a form of artificial contraception, which the church is against. U.S.-based Catholic Relief Services, the largest Catholic donor group, said it will continue its policy of not providing condoms (Sampson, AP/Google News, 12/1).

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