The Pope and Condoms 3

Fr Vincent Twomey, theologian and student of the Holy Father, had an excellent letter in the Irish Times this morning explaining what the Pope said.  It is an excellent piece which hits the nail on the head - it is also very clear. Well worth a read.  Fr Twomey is one of voices of faith and common sense in Ireland today, we would do well to listen to him.

To the Editor,
The Irish Times


Dear Madam,

Confusion has been caused by one sentence taken from the Pope's latest, book-length interview with a German journalist. This confusion was caused not by the media but by the incompetence of those entrusted with the translation of the German text into Italian. Contrary to widespread reports in the media based on the Italian translation, the Pope did not say (in the original interview) that using condoms my sometimes be justified to stop the spread of AIDS (The Irish Times, 22 November 2010).

What did he say?

After pointing out that, in the approach to dealing with AIDS, the fixation on the condom implies a trivialization of sex, against which we must fight, the Pope added (in the American translation which is an accurate rendering of the German text): "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, on the way towards 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 only really lie in a humanization of sexuality." In Italian, the opening phrase was translated as: "Vi possono essere singoli casi giustificati" (certain cases may be justified). The term justified is misleading, since it means that the act (using a condom) thereby takes on a positive moral quality, which it has not got. It is still a gravely sinful act. There is no mention of using the condom to stop the spread of AIDS.  The Pope goes on to affirm explicitly that this is not a real or moral solution to the problem, 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.

 All the Pope is saying is that, for an individual living a life of sexual abandon (prostitution), the use of a condom might, just might, set off a process of self-reflection in that person which might lead to a more responsible attitude to the use of his sexuality. This is not a case of justifying the use of a condom.

Claims that the Church has changed her teaching are unfounded.

Yours truly,

D. Vincent Twomey SVD

The Pope and Condoms 2

Dr Janet Smith has an excellent article on the recent controversy in Catholic World Report.   It would be a good idea to read the whole article, but here is the important bit:

We must note that the example that Pope Benedict gives for the use of a condom is a male prostitute; thus, it is reasonable to assume that he is referring to a male prostitute engaged in homosexual acts. The Holy Father is simply observing that for some homosexual prostitutes the use of a condom may indicate an awakening of a moral sense; an awakening that sexual pleasure is not the highest value, but that we must take care that we harm no one with our choices.  He is not speaking to the morality of the use of a condom, but to something that may be true about the psychological state of those who use them.  If such individuals are using condoms to avoid harming another, they may eventually realize that sexual acts between members of the same sex are inherently harmful since they are not in accord with human nature.  The Holy Father does not in any way think the use of condoms is a part of the solution to reducing the risk of AIDs.  As he explicitly states, the true solution involves “humanizing sexuality.”

Anyone having sex that threatens to transmit HIV needs to grow in moral discernment. This is why Benedict focused on a “first step” in moral growth. The Church is always going to be focused on moving people away from immoral acts towards love of Jesus, virtue, and holiness. We can say that the Holy Father clearly did not want to make a point about condoms, but wants to talk about growth in a moral sense, which should be a growth towards Jesus.

So is the Holy Father saying it is morally good for male prostitutes to use condoms? The Holy Father is not articulating a teaching of the Church about whether or not the use of a condom reduces the amount of evil in a homosexual sexual act that threatens to transmit HIV.  The Church has no formal teaching about how to reduce the evil of intrinsically immoral action.  We must note that what is intrinsically wrong in a homosexual sexual act in which a condom is used is not the moral wrong of contraception but the homosexual act itself.  In the case of homosexual sexual activity, a condom does not act as a contraceptive; it is not possible for homosexuals to contracept since their sexual activity has no procreative power that can be thwarted. But the Holy Father is not making a point about whether the use of a condom is contraceptive or even whether it reduces the evil of a homosexual sexual act; again, he is speaking about the psychological state of some who might use condoms.  The intention behind the use of the condom (the desire not to harm another) may indicate some growth in a sense of moral responsibility. 

UPDATE

Well, the damage has been done.  Listening to RTE radio news this morning on the way to 10am Mass in one of my chapels of ease, I hear from the news reader that Pope Benedict has allowed the use of condoms in certain exceptional circumstances.  That is the message that is being broadcast throughout Ireland today. 

More good online articles:  this time from CatholicVote.org:  Thomas Peters and Matt Bowman.  Fr Finigan laments L'Osservatore Romano's breach of the embrago on the Seewald book.


UPDATE 2

Damian Thompson is sticking by his guns.  His position: "Like it or not, the Holy Father made it clear that the use of condoms is sometimes permissible to stop the spread of the virus".   Fr Lombardi in an official statement contradicts Damian's view.

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.