CBCP: Bishops to keep mum over condom issue

An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said local bishops will refrain from commenting on the condom issue until the Pope's new book is released. Until they read in full Pope Benedict XVI’s statements on the use of condoms, Philippine Catholic bishops are refraining from commenting on the subject. 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. CBCP said stressed what is clear for now is that the Pope’s statements do not change Church teachings against artificial contraception. “For the moment, what is clear as reported is that the Holy Father’s latest teaching on condom use does not in any way change position of the Church against artificial contraception," CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura said in an article posted on the CBCP news site on Tuesday. “He speaks of condom as a permissible tool, not the primary tool, to arrest further spread of the HIV virus; condom is not the moral solution to the alarming spread of the virus and disease," Figura said. 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." Signs of the times The Pope's book, "Light of the World: The Pope, the Chrch, and the Signs of the Times" will be released on Tuesday but it has already caused a stir around the globe, especially because of the comments made about the Pope on condom use. According to an article on the website of the Catholic News Agency (CNA), the book contains the Pope's responses to the questions of a German journalist, Peter Seewald, about sensitive and timely questions today. CNA said the themes tackled in the book were edgy and the Pope's words were likely to fetch varied reactions. However, the Pope's answers "offer a unique look into his teachings and his perspective on the Church and the world," CNA added. The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano published excerpts of the interview on Saturday. Condoms vs AIDS Last Sunday, a news article quoted the Pope as saying condom use was specific to fighting the spread of HIV for male prostitutes and homosexuals. However, the Pope also reiterated the Catholic teachings that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) must be fought through marital fidelity and sexual abstinence. “We see in this teaching Pope Benedict as a truly concerned shepherd – not neglecting the evil of the contagion, but helping prevent it, and reminding the entire human family of the care that our infected brothers and sisters very badly need," Figura said. “Let us view this as the Holy Father’s concrete expression of respect and protection of the God-given human life," he added. Do not distort Pope's words Meanwhile, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. called on proponents and supporters of the reproductive health (RH) bill against taking “undue advantage" of the Pope’s statement. “They should take what the pope said properly… they should not use or distort it," said Iñiguez, chairman of the CBCP’s Committee on Public Affairs. Retired Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. said “the pope made the issue clear. It wasn’t about birth control but was about AIDS prevention. But it is misleading to think that the pope said that condom is OK in the fight against AIDS." “What he said was that it is not a moral and a real solution, but in some cases, it can be a first step toward the right moral direction," he added. Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz also said the pope’s statement was based on an “old doctrine" about “one act with double effect." “You only have one action, but there are two effects. But of course, the effect that you will choose is that with lesser evil," Cruz said. He also called on the faithful to first read the book and be enlightened before making their conclusions. 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. – VVP, GMANews.TV