Pope's condom feedback welcomed by marketing campaign groups

Catholic reformers and groups working to fight HIV have welcomed remarks by Pope Benedict that the use of condoms might not always be unsuitable.

The Pope stated their use might be justified on the situation by situation foundation to prevent the unfold of HIV/Aids.

The remarks, because of be revealed inside a guide following week, mark a softening of his previously difficult line towards condoms inside the battle towards HIV, analysts say.

The Vatican has extended opposed condoms as an synthetic kind of contraception.

This has drawn major criticism, specially from Aids campaigners, who say condoms are one in every of the handful of methods proven to stop the unfold of HIV.
'Significant shift'

Pope Benedict stated during a pay a visit to to Cameroon final yr that handing out condoms could basically make HIV infection worse, drawing criticism from several EU states.

In his newest feedback, even so, he stated the use of condoms might be justified in exceptional circumstances.

He gave the illustration of male prostitutes where by, he stated, using condoms to prevent the unfold of AIDS could be viewed as an act of moral duty, even though condoms have been "not really the way to cope with the evil of HIV infection".

This marks a significant shift in his previously implacable opposition towards the use of condoms, says the BBC's religious affairs correspondent, Robert Pigott.

UNAIDS, the United Nations programme on HIV/Aids, welcomed the feedback as being a "significant and good step forward".

"This transfer recognises that accountable sexual behaviour plus the use of condoms have vital roles in HIV prevention," stated UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe.

The Kenya Therapy Entry Motion (KETAM), which works to fight the unfold of HIV, welcomed what it stated was the Pope's acceptance of reality that abstinence did not always perform.

"It's accepting the reality on the floor," stated David Kamau, head on the KETAM. "If the Church has failed to get men and women to stick to its moral values and apply abstinence, they ought to get the next greatest step and encourage condom use."

The Catholic reform group We are Church stated the feedback showed the Pope was in a position to master from practical experience.

The British homosexual rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, instructed the BBC the Pope's feedback have been significant but wanted "clarification".
'Not a moral solution'

The new guide - Mild on the Earth: The Pope, the Church plus the Indicators on the Occasions - is based on the collection of interview the Pope gave the German Catholic journalist, Peter Seewald, earlier this yr.

When asked irrespective of whether the Catholic Church was not opposed in principle towards the use of condoms, the Pope replied: "She certainly doesn't regard it as being a true or moral resolution, but, on this or that situation, there could be nonetheless, inside the intention of cutting down the danger of infection, a first step inside a motion towards a various way, a much more human way, of residing sexuality."

Pope Benedict stated the "sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalisation of sexuality" where by sexuality was no longer an expression of enjoy, "but only a sort of drug that individuals administer to themselves".

Whilst Pope Benedict reiterated the Church's essential opposition to contraception, and repeated his view that condoms weren't the answer to curbing HIV, he additional that there was substantially inside the place of sexual ethics that wanted to be pondered and expressed in new methods.