The Pope says use of Condoms might be Justified

At last the Catholic Church are moving into the 21st Century.  For groups working to combat HIV this is a welcome turnaround.  Using condoms may sometimes be justified to stop the spread of AIDS, Pope Benedict says in a new book, in surprise comments that relax one of the Vatican's most controversial position.


The Vatican newspaper unexpectedly published significant excerpts from the book on Saturday night, days before extracts were initially due to be made public. The book, called Light of the World, is to be published on Tuesday.


My point is - who is going to apply to the Catholic Church for permission to use a condom when in the throes of sexual passion?
Analysts say that this marks a softening of his previously hard line against condoms in the battle against HIV. However, the Vatican are quick to point out that this was no "revolution" in Church teaching.  The Vatican has long opposed condoms as an artificial form of contraception.  


Aids campaigners have vilified this as they say condoms are one of the few methods proven to halt the spread of HIV.

In excerpts published in the Vatican newspaper on Saturday, the pope cites the example of the use of condoms by prostitutes as "a first step towards moralisation", even though condoms are "not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection".

I wonder how he expects to curb the spread if not through the use of condoms.  After all total abstinence is not really on the cards either! 

UNAIDS, the United Nations programme on HIV/Aids, welcomed the comments as a "significant and positive step forward".

"This move recognises that responsible sexual behaviour and the use of condoms have important roles in HIV prevention," said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe.

Can you imagine the amount of condom marketing that will now take off in Catholic Countries?