Some Catholic believers in the Americas greeted Pope Benedict XVI’s recent comments on condoms as a sign that the church was stepping into the modern debate in the fight against AIDS.
The church was adamant Sunday that nothing has changed in its views banning contraception.
There was praise and some caution following the pope’s comments that condoms could be morally justified in some limited situations, such as for male prostitutes wanting to prevent the spread of HIV.
Others cautioned that it could open a doctrinal Pandora’s box. And the exact meaning of what the pope said was still up for interpretation.
Several believers who spoke following Sunday Mass in the United States and South America felt the pope’s comments marked a tentative step into a more modern stance in the global fight against AIDS.