November 23, 2011

Papal Document Calls AIDS an “Ethical Problem”

On Pope Benedict XVI’s second papal visit to Africa, he offered a special greeting to people with HIV/AIDS, The Washington Post reports. During his three-day trip, the pope further addressed HIV/AIDS by presenting a papal document titled “Africae Munus” [“The Commitment of Africa”]. In the document, the Catholic Church acknowledges that a “medical and pharmaceutical” response to HIV/AIDS is necessary. However, the document also says that, “above all, [AIDS] is an ethical problem” and calls for “sexual abstinence, rejection of sexual promiscuity [and promotion of] fidelity within marriage.” On his first papal trip to Africa in 2009, Benedict was criticized for saying that condoms increase the problem of AIDS. He did not make any remarks about condoms on this trip.

To read the Post article, click here.

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