The Pope, AIDS and contraception

Pope Benedict XVI has changed  - or perhaps clarified - the Catholic Church's position on the use of contraception. He had previously reaffirmed the teaching set out since The Second Vatican Council, and reinforced vigorously by hsi predecessor Pope John Paul II, that contraception was 'intrinsically evil'.


In an apparent softening of Church teaching, Pope Benedict said that under some circumstances - such as where one partner is HIV-positive - the use of condoms could be sanctioned. It's a welcome shift, even if some commentators are trying to maintain that it isn't. I've always thought that the Church's stance on this was not logical or consistent, and has not kept up with science or societal changes.

But before everyone yells down the Pope for spreading AIDS in Africa let's just remember that if everyone followed the Catholic Church's teaching (abstinence, faithfulness, marriage and monogomy) there would be no such thing as an AIDS epidemic. It would never have become so destructive, and millions of people who are dead or dying would be alive and well. Unrealistic? Maybe. Idealistic? Definitely. But why not aim high?

In fact those countries that have made progress in the battle against AIDS, such as Uganda, have done so not by just chucking condoms around but by a targeted and intelligent campaign promoting monogamy, contraception and education. The Catholic Church is the second biggest developmental organisation in the world (after the United Nations) and does amazing work in the Developing World, much of it in the field of education. I hope the Church will continue to be a force for good and  this doctrinal revision can only help.