AOL NEWS: Some news reports portrayed the pope’s statements as a “stunning turnaround” for the church, although Benedict was actually articulating longstanding Catholic tradition on the issue. But his remarks were important for the extent of their explanation of this complex matter — and because they come from the pope, which makes them more authoritative than other church proclamations.
“There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility,” the pontiff told German journalist Peter Seewald in a book-length interview, “Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times,” which is being released Tuesday…
Regarding the Africa uproar, Benedict says that, “I was not making a general statement about the condom issue, but merely said — and this is what caused such great offense — that we cannot solve the problem by distributing condoms. Much more needs to be done. We must stand close to the people, we must guide and help them; and we must do this both before and after they contract the disease.” … (more)
