The use of condom is not allowed in the Catholic Church to fight HIV/AIDS and as a family planning mechanism because “the sexual act is ordained by God for a purpose”, the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria has said.
The CCFN however suggested “change in behaviour” which it said, was better than the use of condom in the crusade against HIV/AIDS.
The Director, Church and Society, in the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and Executive Secretary of CCFN, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, said these in an interview with THE PUNCH in Abuja during a Town Hall meeting and Quiz Competition organised to mark the Worlds AIDS Day.
He said, “We preach behavioural change in the Catholic Church. Even last Sunday in church, I preached to over 3,000 members of the congregation about behavioural change. The church believes in the power of the word to convince.
“It’s not a human thing, the spirit of God is there. If people make up their mind to change their lives, they can do away with all these things. In the Catholic Church, we believe that change in behaviour is better than the use of condom in the fight against HIV/AIDS because even the condom itself is not full-proof. The church is always looking for the best solution and being faithful with one’s spouse and abstinence are effective solutions.”
Bassey added, “You know that even in the prevention strategies, where they talk about APC, Abstinence, Prevention and Condom, we are concerned with abstinence and being faithful. But the church condemns the use of condoms, not necessarily with regards to HIV/AIDS alone, but because the teaching of the church is that the sexual act is ordained by God for a purpose.”
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