Catholics supporting condom use urged to examine faith

A Catholic bishop has urged Filipino Catholics who support the Health department’s pro-condom stance to reflect if they should remain in the Church, saying there is no such thing as a "half Catholic." “If you support condom distribution, you have to examine your life if you should remain Catholic. As a Catholic, you must follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. There is no such thing as half Catholic," Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said in an interview on Church-run Radio Veritas. Bastes made this statement even as he warned the faithful against a US-based Catholic non-government organization that favors the use of condoms. The Washington-based Catholics for Choice (CFC) group has openly expressed support for the Department of Health’s (DOH) condom distribution efforts. “Mag-ingat tayo sa grupo na yan. Lilinlangin tayo niyan para lumabas na suportado ng simbahan ang condom, which is malinaw at noon pa natin sinasabi na tutol tayo sa condom distribution ng DOH," Bastes said. (Be wary of this group. Let us not allow ourselves to be misled. The Church has been clear from the beginning why it is against the condom program of DOH.) Excerpts of the interview were posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site. Against God’s will The bishop stressed that the CFC’s advocacy goes against the will of God and the teachings of the Catholic Church. “It is against the will of God, against the teaching of the Church. We have to respect life God has given us. We cannot simply play with the divine power of human reproduction, that’s why the Catholic Church is really against it," he said. He said the American-based "Catholic" organization is not following the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Bastes advised Catholics to think and reflect well on their stand on condom distribution, reminding the faithful to avoid the use of artificial contraceptives especially condom, as it can only lead to all kinds of immoral actions. “Life is a sacred (gift) from God. We have to value and respect it," he said. DOH’s ally After being ganged up on by Philippine Catholic bishops, the DOH got the support of the CFC for the condom distribution initiative. In an article the DOH said the CFC group hailed Cabral’s willingness to remind people on the role of condoms as a “gesture of genuine concern." “CFC President Jon O’ Brien remarked that Cabral’s efforts will undoubtedly save lives as we confront the HIV and AIDS epidemic. He added that Cabral’s stance on the effectiveness of condom and her willingness to debate the bishops is not only making news internationally, but is also highlighting the Catholic hierarchy’s inappropriate interference in public policy," the DOH said in an article on its website. It added that the CFC recognizes people’s ability to choose for themselves when it comes to issues affecting their health. This, it said, is supported by the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church and Catholics around the world. Cabral had come under fire from Catholic bishops since February 14 after her department distributed free condoms to fight the risk of human immunodeficiency virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS). However, she agreed to a challenge from Catholic bishops to hold a debate on the matter. “As the world has changed, people have also changed. The attitudes on sex have also become more mature, responsible and compassionate," Cabral said. Cabral reiterated the DOH’s stand to use condom was meant to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases because anyone is vulnerable to infection. During the 2001 World AIDS Day, CFC launched a campaign in the United States, Mexico, South Africa, Kenya, Chile, Zimbabwe and the Philippines dubbed “Condoms4Life." The advertising campaign was the first phase of an effort to change the Vatican’s policy and challenge its aggressive lobbying against availability and access to condoms in high-risk areas. It is also aimed at raising public awareness on the devastating effect of the bishops’ ban on condoms. The DOH also said that in 2007, the CFC conducted a survey in the Philippines that showed that 77 percent of Catholics believe in the life-saving effects of condoms. It said these Catholics believe using condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS is pro-life. On the other hand, the DOH cited a Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) report drafted in 2003 concludes that condoms have an estimated 90 percent rate of protection. “The 10 percent failure rate does not mean that 1 in 10 condoms is defective. Condom failure can be attributed to human error such as when a condom slips off, breaks or is not used early enough," the DOH said. It also cited findings by the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies that condoms sometimes fail due to failure to use it consistently or correctly. The DOH added the World Health Organization disclosed that laboratory studies have established the impermeability of the male latex condom to infectious agents contained in genital secretions, including the smallest viruses. The CFC was founded in 1973 to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health. It has its headquarters in Washington D.C., and works with sister organizations throughout Latin America. It maintains a presence in Europe. — LBG, GMANews.TV