The Pope and Condoms

I go away to Belfast for the day, and the whole place falls asunder.  When we got back my colleague over at the St Genesius Blog tells me that the Telegraph had an online article which reported that the Pope was changing the Church's teaching on the use of condoms.  Well, I said to myself, there must be something more subtle going on here.  I get back to my computer and log on and Damian Thompson is reporting it, congratulating the Pope for his charity and common sense.  What's going on?  I ask myself.  I notice Damian uses the word "modify".  

Well, I am taken aback, but I go searching, and found some good, informative articles on The Catholic World Report, the Catholic Herald Online and The Curt Jester which reveal that the Pope is not changing Church teaching at all.  The remarks come in Peter Seewald's new book interview with  Pope Benedict. First thing to remember, he is a theologian, he thinks and sees nuances and possibilities, something the media does not, so if the media are reporting that the Pope has changed Church teaching, they have got the wrong end of the stick.

So what is the Pope saying?  Is it okay in certain circumstances to use condoms?  Is he saying using a condom will help fight AIDS?  With regard to the second question the answer is still "no": he stands by what he said on the flight to Africa.  With regard to the first question, this is what he 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 moralisation, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection. That can really lie only in a humanisation of sexuality (emphasis added).

When asked for a clarification by Seewald - is the Church not opposed to the use of condoms in principle, Benedict says:

She, 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.

So the answer is more subtle and in keeping with the Church's teaching on sexuality, as taught by Humanae Vitae, as you seen when you read the comments carefully.  He is saying that in certain cases - male prostitutes, the decision to use a condom, and so the attempt to be more responsible, may be a step towards embracing proper sexual morality - note: "a step towards".  Patrick Archbald over at Creative Minority Report sums it up well, quoting Time Magazine, of all things -interesting article there too.  See also Fr Z, and CNA.  An excellent analysis by my friend Christopher over at Catholicus.

Of course the media are gone off in their usual frenzy, God forbid they find the truth.  But I do think the Church, and the Holy Father, have to be aware of this aspect of the media - subtlety doesn't exist in the world of the sound byte - and so the theologian may need to bear this in mind when speaking.  Few will sit down and read the Pope's actual words, but many will hear the sound byte and what seems like a confirmation from the Pope and then be led into error.  I think those involved in media relations in the Church are going to have to sit down and find a way in which statements like the above are presented in a way that does not give the wrong impression. 

The situation the Pope is referring to reminds me of a question I was once asked: "Is it wrong for a couple who are unmarried to use contraception when having sex?"  The answer to that is simple: we do not even have to address the question of contraception in this case - they are already committing mortal sin in having sex outside marriage.   The solution: Bob Newhart's.