In a series of statements from the Vatican, the Pope has justified the use of condoms for exceptional cases to prevent the spread of HIV.
Pope Benedict XVI said condom use in some individual cases would be taking a moral responsibility in the prevention of HIV.
He limited this ‘moral responsibility’ to male prostitutes, maintaining the Vatican’s stance against condoms as birth control.
The statements were published in a new book called Light of the World released last month by trusted German Catholic jounalist Peter Seewald.
Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano published the comments a week before the book’s launch on November 20, polarising opinion around the world.
The Catholic News Agency downplayed the comments, reporting that the comments did not reverse the Vatican’s position on condoms but made exlusions for high risk groups like male prostitutes.
The pontif’s remarks were in response to statements made in March 2009 that condoms were not a solution to HIV/AIDS while he was on trip to Africa.
The Vatican’s spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi said that the ‘the reasoning of the Pope certainly cannot be defined as a revolutionary turning point.’
The Reverend also said Benedict’s position on condom use for people living with HIV was ‘the first step of responsibility, of taking into consideration the risk to the life of the person with whom there are relations.’
‘Whether it’s a man or woman or a transsexual,’ Federico said.
Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations executive officer Don Baxter told the Age the Vatican’s rejection of condoms was culpable for millions of new HIV cases in Africa and Catholic-dominant countries.
‘This change needs to be articulated and put into effect very quickly,’ Baxter said.
