Vatican office clarifies: teaching on condoms and AIDS will not change

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Vatican City, Apr 24, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- An official from the Pontifical Council for Health and Pastoral Care, presided by Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, made it clear today that the recent interview given by the Mexican prelate to the Italian daily La Reppublica, doesn’t hint at any change in the doctrine of the Church on the use of condoms to fight Aids.

Over the weekend, numerous dailies and news agencies have headlined the Cardinal’s interview, in which he declared that: "This is a very difficult and delicate subject that requires prudence. My department is studying this closely with scientists and theologians expressly assigned to draft a document that will be issued soon," he said.

The prelate’s declarations became the basis of heavy speculations, especially his thoughts on making “the Church’s position more flexible,” in respect to the use of condoms.

Nevertheless, Msgr. Antonio Soto Guerrero, personal secretary of Cardinal Lozano Barragán, and member of the Pontifical Council for Health, told CNA that “the Doctrine of the Church remains firmly within the principles of Catholic moral. Facing AIDS, there is abstinence; we cannot forget that the issue has to do in large parts to a moral disorder facing the seventh commandment.”

In his remarks to CNA, Msgr. Soto said that “indeed, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , headed by Cardinal William Joseph Levada, is currently studying the possibility of drafting a document on the same issue, and for that reason he has asked for the opinion of the other dicasteries in the Vatican. “

“Our dicasteries have already sent very serious studies from members and consulters who are answering to consultations requested by the Congregation (for the Doctrine of the Faith). The Congregation will then carry out a thorough study that will last a few months before presenting the conclusions to the Pope, who will subsequently decide of the publication of a document.”

“The moral principle of the Church is the same,” he stressed, “but the situations we have to face changed. It’s rather about applying the doctrine of the Church to always new situations such as AIDS,” said Msgr. Soto.

“Let me take a specific example”, he told CNA, in which one member of a couple “has AIDS, and requests matrimony, has the other partner the right to protect his health in any way?”

“The principle”, he said, “remains the defense of life and the conscience that everything that sends back to the fifth commandment includes the seventh one too, the act of fornicating that implies defending life.”

Comments: 24

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Garrett
Corvallis, OR 11/24/2006 02:30 AM EST

To Mr. Healy, and others who support condom use. You may think that your arguments are intelligent and hold weight in light of this current debate, but the matter is clear. Birth Control has been condemned. Condom use, even in marriage, is against the teachings of the Church. It is your liberal relativity oozing out that makes you think you know more than the Church.

Published by: Paul Kokoski
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 05/06/2006 04:32 PM EST

The question being debated involves the particular situation where - and this is only within the context of marriage - one of the parties has become infected with HIV through no fault of his or her own such that both parties would be deprived of the marital relations to which they have a strict right according to what is called "the marriage debt". This debt, however, can be refused for a serious reason. The point of the doctrine of the lesser of two evils is that it can be applied only when one is faced with a situation in which all outcomes or choices are evil. Hence, the proposal by Cardinal Martini is itself disingenuous for it seeks to remove the legitimate choice of abstinence as a solution. Essentially, this is what is called in logic the "false dilemma" fallacy, whereby two choices are given when in fact there are three options.
Even if this barrier were to be removed, it would have still to be shown that condoms are infallible in preventing AIDS. And it is a scientific fact that the AIDS virus can escape any technical device used such as the condom.

Published by: Daryl Rifkin
New York, NY USA 04/28/2006 12:47 AM EST

I was raised Catholic, but I have to say I just don't buy into the Vatican's "Do as I say, not as I do" policies. When it comes to the rank and file Catholic member, it's 100% discipline or you're excommunicated. When it comes to members of the power hierarchy (including priests), actions are quite different. A husband and wife who wish to share their love sexually without gambling on yet another baby each time are going to hell. Yet, known pedophile priests have just been systematically shifted to another parish and in some cases even transferred to Rome itself. I'm sorry, but when Vatican leadership treats sexually abusive priests as nothing more than a Public Relations issue at the same time as treating married couples planning how many children they will have as a serious moral crisis, there is something completely out of whack there. As far as I'm concerned, the Vatican has no moral leg to stand on. I can't speak for the rest of you, but I feel in no danger of becoming a sex crazed, drug addict, amoral basket case just because I don't accept iron-fisted discipline from a church hierarchy that can't seem to practice what it preaches.

I pray that Divine Truth finally prevails over human constructed imitations - no matter what the official title of the human(s) who proclaim "the truth" may be.

Published by: John W. Egan
Smyrna, DE 04/27/2006 08:56 AM EST

Living our Catholic faith is a challenge. True love is a challenge as well. Love is sacrificial and if one person in a relationship is ill and if having sexual relations within the marriage would make the other ill than sacrifcing the sexual act in the relationship is the answer. If you believe being faithfull to God in this life will bring you eternal salvation, then of course you would want what is best for your spouses soul. The church does not make decisions based on making life easier or more convenient but on the teachings of Jesus who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Please look to the life to come. Be willing to sacrifice in this short life and be faithful to the sound teachings of the church and study and pray about the reasons behind those teachings and live today for eternal life!!

Published by: Kelly M
St. Charles, MO 04/26/2006 08:02 AM EST

Mr. Healy -- Are you suggesting that we change rules because so many break them? That would be easy wouldn't it? Why don't we just change the laws on illegal drugs too? We know people are going to use them. Actually, I'm sure the urge to use harmful drugs is probably as strong for some as the urge to have sex is for the rest of us. Why don't we just give them some clean needles and say it's okay? They can't help it ... This is a really difficult predicament that we're in, but we've put ourselves there, after all. It doesn't seem fair that we all have to suffer for the sins of a few, but since when is life fair? Aren't we all suffering because of The Fall?

Published by: Ken
Manchester, NH, USA 04/25/2006 05:51 PM EST

"More souls go to hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason."

- The most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever virgin Mary to Blessed Jacinta of Fatima

Published by: RIta
Rockport MA 04/25/2006 03:26 PM EST

After 2o years of "thinking" what I thought was right, God finally took pity and gave me the grace for real obiedence (prompted by a priest who kindly said, "if you REALLY think you are right, then my dear, you need to PRAYER MORE." So I did, and in that prayer, not only did I learn that the Catholic teachings are necessary and totally in line with God, but I actually "understand" why. My advice for any who think this is unfair or cruel, please pray "to know why" and read PJP II's Theology of the Body (you can get the Christoper West version if PJP is too deep for you). When the world "get's", if ever, the TOB teaching, it will totally rock the world. I dare say it's the most important teaching of the century, and as George Weigel say's, a "time bomb" ready to go off.

The Catholic Church IS right on this, regardless of how "wrong" it "apprears."

Rita

Published by: Paul Faucher
Goshen Virginia 04/25/2006 03:16 PM EST

The reason the Church is called Mother is because we are supposed to be children who trust completely. Thank God this is always true.

Published by: John Healy
Washington, DC 04/25/2006 02:46 PM EST

Mr. Wanke,

Condoms are 99% effective in preventing the spread of AIDs. I was merely stating that, even if condoms were much less effective than they are, they still should be used whenever there are sexual relations between a married person with AIDS and his/her partner without AIDS.

For all those people arguing for abstinence, what percentage of priests do you think remain celibate throughout their lives? What percentage of married couples are going to opt for staying celibate for the remainder of their lives?

Published by: Catholic4ever
Canada 04/25/2006 02:29 PM EST

Hmm... Fact: Condoms have a more than 25% rate of breaking or perforating. Therefore, if you have sex 100 times with a condom, it will break or puncture at least 25 times which will directly put the deadly AIDS virus right into your blood stream and you will die. Or abstain and don't have sex which gives you a zero chance of contracting the deadly AIDS virus.

There's no way the Holy See would ever give assent to using condoms in AIDS prevention in any circumstance!

Published by: John Viviano
New Orleans, LA USA 04/25/2006 12:59 PM EST

Is the teaching of the Church difficult to understand? With the aide of science, God has clarified so many things that where not clear two thousand years ago. Now that the AIDS epidemic is spreading wildly throughout Africa with an extreamly high mortality rate, is it not apparent that abstinece is the most effective and most rational way to prevent so many deaths. Sex is essential to create life - it is not essential to live life.

Published by: RIta
Rockport MA 04/25/2006 12:28 PM EST

Published by: Anita Salsedo
Fresno, Ca. USA 04/25/2006 12:14 PM EST

The church is not in the health business. It is in the moral business. If you have aids....abstain. Period. It's not the end of the world. It's about saving souls, not guaranteeing a good time.

Published by: Lisa J.
Ohio USA 04/25/2006 12:05 PM EST

It seems to me that we need to start Educating the stats as much as we can on these issues. I remember a story about a Diocese in Africa that started teaching abstinence and monogamy and the number of people in their diocese with aids began to decrease in great numbers. I am sorry I don't remember the numbers or the Diocese, but surely someone has that info. This should speak for itself. In the other surrounding areas where they were pushing the use of condoms, the numbers with Aids were rising quickly. Mother knows Best!

Published by: Popesservant
Alachua 04/25/2006 11:50 AM EST

It is my understanding that Jesus said,"pick up your Cross and follow me". I understood this to mean, that if something requires one's sacrifice:meaning abstaining or not acquiring things that are not necessary for one's Salvation. It appears to me, that there is this Cross put in front of drug users with dirty needles or fornicating with people with full blown AIDs or it could come about by incompetent healthcare workers in labs, or hospitals giving tainted blood to a patient. It is known to come about with homosexuality acts.
It is known to pass from the Mother to the newborn, however, not always. To abstain from sex is not impossible, with the help of Jesus, if you are not with Jesus, it is not possible. Jesus puts Crosses in front of us to see if we will help him carry His Cross (which He died on for us). Oh,yes, there are all kinds of ways that we can circumvent to not carry this Cross. As a matter-of-fact it is very easy not to pick-up the Cross and carry it, but that is not what Jesus commanded. I do not think that His Church will do anything to change that command.
To suggest using condoms is "faults compassion".

Published by: Ron Bartsch
Houston, TX 04/25/2006 11:46 AM EST

To state that condums prevent the spread of AIDS 20% of the time, so they should be used, is a poor argument. Would you encourage one to play Russian roulette 6 times with pistol? This would no only be lacking in charity, but would be stupid.

Published by: Jason
Louisiana, USA 04/25/2006 11:11 AM EST

Sex is for having children. Marriage is first of all for having children. Sex belongs only in marriage. Sex is not for enjoyment and fun. It is enjoyable so that we do it. It must be done responsibly and according to God's law. Birth "control" is a grave sin. In fact it is really birth avoidance. God said to be fruitful and multiply. Even protestants believed that birth "control" was wrong up until last century. Why? Because it is wrong. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. Truth is truth. It cannot change. The Church has always taught that contraception is a sin because it is a sin.

Published by: Jeff Wanke
Oshkosh, WI 04/25/2006 11:05 AM EST

To Mr. Healy:
I have a delicious food that has an 80% chance of killing you. Would you like to join me for dinner?

So much for your logic.

By the way, in Russian Roulette, one has an 83% chance of surviving (better than your condom rate). Based on your logic, the Church should approve this practice as a fun and rewarding pasttime.

Published by: Jean-Paul Laniel
Montreal, Quebec, Canada 04/25/2006 10:28 AM EST

Fornication is a mortal sin whether or not one of the partners has aids but if a person with aids decides to commit the sin of fornication he'd better use a condom to try to avoid compounding his sin by putting another person's life in danger. This in no way condones condoms or fornication but is only common sense. So there is no need to try to get the church to accept the use of condoms in aids prevention. The best and only way to fight aids is by leading a moral life style.

Published by: John Healy
Washington, DC 04/25/2006 10:20 AM EST

Forbidding the use of condoms when one of the partners has AIDS is a truly immoral and cruel teaching. Married couples should be able to express their love physically. By the way, the argument that condoms shouldn't be used because they are not effective is specious. If condoms prevent the spread of AIDS 20% of the time, they still should be used.

Published by: Sharon
Rochester, NY USA 04/25/2006 08:48 AM EST

Being a Roman Catholic I agree fully with Rome. If you are not married to someone of the opposite sex you have no business having sex. Sex is for having children and for showing love for you husband or wife not for any other reason.

Published by: Br. Ron
Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 04/25/2006 08:39 AM EST

I hope and pray that the theologians and scientists commissioned to study this matter, have done their homework regarding the effectiveness or not of condoms vs. the HIV virus and AIDS. It seems that in not too distant past, we have had studies show that condoms are in fact not "safe", and do not work well (even when "properly" used) in preventing these deadly viruses from spreading. Why would they suddenly be effective? It occurs to one that anyone educated to the dangers of these infections, married or otherwise, would simply not engage in the sexual act with one they know to be so infected. And the infected spouse in a marriage, one might think, would not expect the partner to agree to do so. So, are we to suggest that we should encourage un-educated people to use them and withold the education? In addition, there are many "educated" folks in both 1st and 3rd world nations, who will look to such "opening" in Church teaching, to apply it's "lesser of two evils" decision to other areas not intended by the Holy See. And with ample "justification".

Published by: Sheila Warner
Vineland, NJ USA 04/25/2006 08:37 AM EST

The Holy See must stand firm in the face of overwhelming opposition by a sex-saturated society which demands that the teachings of Christ be made 'flexible' so that the individual may have what he wants. Pray for the Pope! Pray for perseverence and a steadfast spirit.

Published by: AmericanPapist
USA 04/24/2006 02:02 PM EST

A much needed clarification. Hopefully the same news sources that publicized the misinformation will not correct the errors of their reporting.

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