.- 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.”
