Condom Time: Translate the Pope's New Message into Action

by Andrew Green · 2010-12-01 10:00:00 UTC
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First came the announcement: Pope Benedict XVI says condom use might be justified in some situations (like for male prostitutes). Then there was much rejoicing, especially in the public health communities.

But then came the confusion. Among members of the Catholic clergy, you have leaders like Botswana’s Bishop Valentine Seane, who told the AP he was amenable to the idea of condom use. At the same time, though, you also have clergy like Tanzania’s Auxiliary Bishop Methodius Kilaini, who announced that he will continue to advise his flock not to use condoms.

So, where does that leave us? The Pope may have floated the condom trial balloon, but he has not offered a clear path forward for his followers.

He needs to, because whether or not you are a Catholic, it’s clear that the papal position can have serious influence in places like Africa, where 20 percent of the continent’s population practices Catholicism. As Michael Gerson pointed out in The Washington Post, institutions like the church can play a dramatic role in changing behavior.

More importantly, the Catholic church is responsible for an incredible amount of aid and humanitarian work, much of it around HIV/AIDS. Catholic Relief Services, the major charity arm of the church, spent more than $170 million on AIDS-related programming in 2009. But, in line with current church teachings, none of that money went to the distribution or promotion of condoms.

You can help change that.

The Holy See itself is an overwhelming institution. There are so many entry points, it’s difficult to know where is the best place to put pressure to demand greater clarity on how condoms can be integrated into the Catholic belief structure.

But Catholic Relief Services provides a more specific target. The group deals with the impact of HIV/AIDS on the ground. A change in the church’s philosophy could unshackle Catholic Relief Services and allow them to use all available tools to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Sign this petition calling on the heads of Catholic Relief Services and its partner organizations in HIV/AIDS work to seize the initiative provided by the Vatican’s message and to include condoms in their relief work.

Clearly the Pope has, finally, caught up with the public health community in recognizing that condoms can help save lives. Now it’s time to start saving them.

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Andrew Green is a public health writer, and former Fulbright Fellow in Zambia, who has traveled extensively in sub-Saharan Africa.
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