Pope Benedict XVI’s comments on condom use in “exceptional circumstances” do not represent a U-turn in Church teachings, according to moral theologian Emmanuel Agius.
“His comments do not surprise me. They are not new. On the contrary they are a continuation of Church teachings,” he said.
In a new book in which the Pontiff answered questions put to him by a German Catholic journalist, Pope Benedict said there could be “exceptional cases” where condom use could be justified, such as by an HIV-infected prostitute, as “a first step of moral responsibility”.
International media pounced upon the comment, describing it as a U-turn and an opening to condom use by an otherwise conservative Pope.
However, Prof. Agius insisted the Pope’s statement was emphasising the importance of responsibility even in circumstances which the Church believed were morally wrong.
“The Pope made it clear that an AIDS campaign solely focussed on condom use trivialised human sexuality and that is in line with what the Church has always taught,” he said.
“But he also offered a pastoral solution and said an HIV-infected prostitute could use a condom as an act of responsibility towards others as the start of a gradual journey towards a higher state of maturity,” Prof. Agius added, insisting this was not new teaching.
Even in the case of married couples where one of the spouses was infected with HIV, he added, there may be justification for the use of condoms.
“Moral teachings have always been clear. If someone can endanger somebody else’s life and the marriage can be jeopardised there may be a justification for condom use as a first step until the couple grow in maturity and decide to abstain,” Prof. Agius said.
“A robber who enters a bank with a fake gun has a higher value of life than a robber who carries a loaded gun. It does not mean the Church will condone any of these acts but at least the robber with a fake gun has a greater sense of responsibility,” he added.
The Pope’s comments created a storm, which according to media analyst Fr Joe Borg boils down to Pope Benedict’s habit of making no distinction between a mass audience and one made up of academics.
“It often happens that the Church or the Pope make statements that create a storm, forcing the Church to then issue a clarification. Unfortunately, the Church is not media savvy and this is exacerbated by the media’s tendency to read too much into things and trying to find a sensational news angle,” Fr Borg said.
Once the news was out, he added, impressions were formed and no matter what the Church said afterwards it could not be changed.