Condom (good) sense
Enquanto por cá muitos católicos reagem à bomba de sábado como se as declarações do papa não alterassem nada, esta manhã, Jon O'Brien, presidente dos Catholics for Choice, louvou a recente e drástica alteração de posição em relação ao preservativo, em algumas circunstâncias, é certo, de Bento XVI e urge a aplicação no terreno desta nova doutrina em relação a pacientes com SIDA:
Some people have criticized the glacial pace at which the Catholic hierarchy moves. Certainly, this acceptance of condom use is more than two decades too late. But it has now happened, and organizations that have been hesitant to provide condoms to those living with HIV and AIDS must move immediately to put this new teaching into action.
The first step on any journey is always the hardest, but it is also the most important one because without it change is impossible.
A enorme importância deste reviravolta revolucionária no combate à SIDA é frisada no Washington Post:
"This is a game-changer," said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit editor and writer. "By acknowledging that condoms help prevent spread of HIV between people in sexual relationships, the pope has completely changed the Catholic discussion on condoms". (...)
"This is a great day in the fight against AIDS ... a major milestone," said Mitchell Warren, head of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (...)
In Sierra Leone, the director of the National AIDS Secretariat predicted condom use would now increase, lowering the number of new infections."Once the pope has made a pronouncement, his priests will be in the forefront in advocating for their perceived use of condoms," said Dr. Brima Kargbo.
Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Benedict knew full well that his new comments would provoke intense debate. Conservative Catholics have been trying to minimize the scope of what he said since excerpts were published this weekend in the Vatican newspaper.
Lombardi praised Benedict for his "courage" in confronting the problem.
