Bishops: Catholic Church not changing stand vs condoms

Catholic bishops said reproductive health (RH) advocates may have misunderstood Pope Benedict XVI's stand on condom use because the Catholic Church remains firm in its stand against artificial contraception. An Associated Press (AP) article on Sunday quoted the Pope as saying that condoms are not a moral solution to stopping AIDS but in some cases, such as for male prostitutes, their use could represent a first step in assuming moral responsibility "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection." The Pope, however, also reiterated the Church's position that abstinence and marital fidelity are the only sure ways of preventing the spread of HIV. The Pope made the statement in response to a German journalist's general question about Africa, where heterosexual HIV spread is rampant. The Pope's comment will be published in a book entitled "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times," which will be released on Tuesday. The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano published excerpts of the interview on Saturday. House Minority Leader Rep. Edcel Lagman, author of the RH bill or House Bill 96, claimed that the Pope’s pronouncement on condom use implies that the Catholic Church is softening its stand against artificial contraception. However, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop and Canon Law expert Oscar Cruz said RH advocates may have misunderstood the Pope’s stand. “Baka mali ang kanilang maging argumento na hindi talaga ang paninindigan ng Simbahan ay nagbago at hindi maaring sabihin ang paninindigan ng simbahan ay pro-RH. Mukhang malayong malayo sa tono yan," Cruz said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (It is wrong for proponents of the RH bill to argue that the Church will now change its stand on the RH bill. That is far from the truth.) “Ako ay natutuwa ito ay lumabas para mapapaliwanag ang moral principle about double effect. Sana ang moral theologians natin ay mahimay ito para lumawig ang ating kaalaman," he said. (I am glad this came out, this will give us a chance to explain the principle of moral effect. I hope our moral theologians come out and discuss the matter so we will be better informed.) Cruz stressed there are conditions for this, such as in the case of a couple where the male suffers from a condition such as being human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive. Manila bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. appealed to the media not to "misinterpret" the Pope's stand on the matter. A report on dzBB radio Monday morning said Bacani lamented that some media outfits had already interpreted the Pope's comments as a sign the Church is allowing artificial contraception.

HIV/AIDS in Africa HIV/AIDS is a major health issue and cause of death in Africa. Only 14.7 percent of the world's population live in Africa. However, across the globe, around 88 percent of people with HIV and 92 percent of those with AIDS are living in Africa, based on 2007 statistics. AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The disease affects the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to infections and tumors. The virus is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with an HIV-infected body fluid — blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted through:

anal, vaginal or oral sex with HIV-infected persons);

blood transfusion (if the blood is positive for HIV);

the use of HIV-contaminated hypodermic needles;

exchange between an HIV-infected mother and her baby during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding; or

other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids. AIDS is considered a pandemic or an epidemic affecting a large part of the population. In 2007, it was estimated that 33.2 million people around the world had the disease. According to UNAIDS 2009 report, some 60 million people worldwide have been infected by the disease; some 25 million have died, and around 14 million children were orphaned in southern Africa alone since the epidemic began. Pope: Condoms worsen the problem of AIDS According to the AP report on Sunday, in 2009, on his way to Africa, Pope Benedict drew the wrath of the United Nations, European governments and AIDS activists when he told reporters that the AIDS problem on the continent couldn't be resolved by distributing condoms. "On the contrary, it increases the problem," the Pope was quoted as saying. For his book "Light of the World," journalist Peter Seewald, interviewed the Pope over the course of six days. Asked by Seewald if it wasn't "madness" for the Catholic Church to forbid a high-risk population from using condoms, the Pope said: "There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility." According to an English translation of the book obtained by the AP, Seewald asked if that meant that the Church wasn't opposed to the use of condoms, the Pope said the Church does not regard condoms as a moral solution but admitted it could reduce the risk of infection. The Church "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," the Pope said. A question of exceptions According to the AP article, Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, the Vatican's longtime top official on bioethics and sexuality, said the Pope's stand pertains only to cases where condom use "is the only way to save a life." Quoting Sgreccia on the Italian news agency ANSA, the AP report said the Pope's stand on the condom issue was "in the realm of the exceptional." "If Benedict XVI raised the question of exceptions, this exception must be accepted ... and it must be verified that this is the only way to save life. This must be demonstrated," Sgreccia said. In the same AP report, Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans said the Pope was clearly not encouraging condom use. "I think the pope has been very strong in saying condoms do not solve the problem of morality and do not solve the problem of good sex education. But if a person chooses not to follow the teaching of Christ in the church, they are at least obliged to prevent another person from contracting a disease that is deadly," he said. Caritas International welcomes Pope’s comments Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic Church's emergency response arm, welcomed the Pope's comments on the importance of "responding to the HIV pandemic." "They are an affirmation of the importance of pastoral sensitivity and compassion in HIV and AIDS prevention," it said in a statement. “The Pope’s reported comments in this book illustrate the importance of compassion and sensitivity in dealing with the complexities of HIV/AIDS prevention," said its Secretary General, Lesley-Anne Knight. Caritas delivers its HIV/AIDS programmes in line with Church Teaching and we will consider, in close consultation with the Holy See, whether there are implications for our work in these reported comments of Pope Benedict," Knight added. Caritas Internationalis is the confederation of 165 national Catholic aid agencies. Its members provide HIV programming in more than 100 countries. It helps prevent the spread of HIV and assists in the treatment and care of those living with HIV and AIDS. CBCP: Next RH dialogue with govt in December The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), whose officials met with Malacañang officials on the RH issue on Friday, said the next dialogue may take place between December 7 and 15. "Three important topics that will be included in the series of dialogues are health, social welfare and public policy," an article posted on the CBCP news site quoted CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura as saying. Figura added both parties were looking forward to the meeting with sincerity and “we’re happy the meeting took place." He also said the next meeting is scheduled between December 7 and 15. The dialogues will go on despite hearings on the RH bill in Congress. According to Figura, Friday's preliminary meeting which discussed the dialogue framework was “very friendly and cordial." Figura was part of the CBCP delegation at Friday's meeting at the Presidential Management Staff conference room in Manila. The other members of the CBCP delegation included:

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas;

Imus Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle;

lawyer Jo Imbong of the CBCP Legal Office;

lawyer Dindo Garciano, professor at the University of the Asia and Pacific and president of the Alliance for the Family Foundation; and

Dr. Angelita Aguirre, a cardiologist with University of Santo Tomas and University of Asia and the Pacific. Villegas chairs the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Catechism and Catholic Education, while Tagle chairs the CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Doctrine of the Faith. The representatives of the government panel included:

Presidential Management Staff Chief Julia Abad;

Health Secretary Enrique Ona;

presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda;

Alona Bermejo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and

PMS director Eugene Caw. Both parties took up the framework of the dialogue on the RH bill now pending in Congress. “The first official meeting between the CBCP and Malacañang about the Reproductive Health issues was held in preparation for a series of dialogues that will be held in the future," Figura said. No meeting after December 15 Figura said that from November 21 until December 7, Villegas and Tagle will be in Rome for their "ad limina visit" to Pope Benedict XVI. He added there will be no meeting after December 15 because the Aguinaldo (dawn) Masses will start at that time. The CBCP said the government panel for the next meeting will include representatives from the Departments of Health, Social Welfare and Development, Budget and Management, Abad and Lacierda. “We will still determine who will speak for the CBCP on matters of Health because this is where our lay professionals will be tapped," Figura said. – VVP, GMANews.TV