I would like to open up a dialogue on Benedictus XVI’s recent remarks about the use of prophylactics during his visit to Cameroon. Let me say beforehand that I consider the RCC must be coherent with what She has been teaching us for centuries: concepts like abortion, family and or contraceptives measures are principles where the Church cannot but stick to one of the basic norms of Christianity i.e. the defense of life!
Let me also add that I strongly believe in that principle! Furthermore, all true and sincere Catholics should abide by these norms.
But, by the same token, the Pope is well aware that out of a total population of well over 6 billion people Catholics are only 1.100 billion… That leaves some 5 billion people (among them perhaps another billion between Protestants denominations and Orthodox and Oriental Churches) who are not conditioned to obedience to the Pope.
Consequently, and knowing the transcendence, of whatever he says in public and how immediately the Mass Media is interpreting what he says, I believe he should be more careful or tactful with his words when they are meant for the whole world. Or rather, his advisors should be.
A few weeks he made a “faux pas” when he tried to readmit Bishop Williamson into our Roman Church again, without paying attention to the unquestionable racism of this character. This created an obvious worldwide reaction against the Pope, and the RCC that, allegedly, was accepting the anti-Jewish philosophy of the Nazis!
Now, once more, with the Pope’s rejection of condoms as a means of preventing Aids he has again provoked another worldwide reaction against the Catholic world. To the extent that the Vatican has deemed it convenient to and backtrack on the Pope’s message. By introducing the word “risks” the Vatican has tried to somehow soften the Pope’s words.
Contraception (as opposed to morally licit natural family planning) is wrong, and abortion is wrong, except when it comes to rape, which involves quite a different analysis.
But, I think that not even the Pope can say something that scientifically is not quite correct and It is hard to prove, if at all, that the use of condoms propitiates spreading the disease.
I think the Pope’s advisors should be more careful when advising the Pontiff what he can, and what he cannot say. Or in other words, he might have said that AIDS ailings keep on growing despite the use of contraceptives. In the case of Africa this is totally true and probably is what he actually meant, and yet is more politically correct. Or so I think.
Any comments?