Comment & Debate
Marcella Alsan. “Catholic Church condom prohibition comes face to face with reality of AIDS in Africa”. Catholic.com. 24 April 2006 – If men did not stray, if women had rights, if AIDS did not kill, perhaps the church’s strict ban on condom use would be morally defensible. But none of these conditions applies in Africa today. As a consequence, the cost of the church’s inflexibility may mean not only untold human suffering, but the loss of millions of innocent lives.
Anthony T. Padovano, Catholic Theologian. “Catholics, Conscience and Condoms. A Catholic Response to Alleviating the AIDS Pandemic”. This article originally appeared as a presentation for the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS, June 25–27, 2001 – The world does not always allow us to live in it in an ideal environment and according to our preferred wishes. It does demand of us, however, that we do live in the world and that we do so responsibly and generously. To stop AIDS is a life decision, a responsible choice, a generous action. When all efforts to promote mature sexuality are in place, we must also factor in the reality that all people are not mature. The realism of the Catholic tradition knows this and provides for this in other instances. Condoms to prevent AIDS can be a step on the way of teaching sexual maturity and responsibility. In the light of this, there is sufficient evidence that Catholics at large and leaders in increasing numbers affirm life over death and the protection of the innocent from the plague of AIDS.