Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)

South Africa: Condoms Won't Change Aids Prevalence, Says Cardinal

18 July 2008

Sydney — The Archbishop of Durban, South Africa, Cardinal Wilifrid Fox Napier has said that a change in Catholic teaching on condoms would not lower the rate of HIV infection in Africa. Rather, he argued, positive change would result from trusting people to take control of their lives.

In an interview with an Australian news program reported by Catholic News Agency (CNA) yesterday, the Cardinal said South Africa has the highest rate of condom distribution, but still has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.

"We have already been preaching all our lives; don't have sex outside of marriage," the cardinal, who is visiting Sydney for World Youth Day said.

He cited the Uganda program against HIV infection as a successful model. There, he said, the HIV prevalence rate was reduced from 29 to 6 percent in ten years with a program that promoted abstinence for unmarried Ugandans and monogamy for couples. The program also issued condoms only to married people.

Cardinal Napier said the Church trusted in people's ability to control their own lives.

"At the moment, if you go on a policy of condom distribution as the only solution to HIV and AIDS, you are telling people that they cannot take control of their own lives," he said.

"And, therefore, I think you are doing them an injustice by saying: 'You are so stupid. Even though this disease is a killer, you cannot take control of your own lives'."

Tagged: AIDS, Health, Religion, South Africa, Southern Africa

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Comments 1 to 3 of 3 Post a comment

  • Think about it
    Jul 20 2008, 16:00
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    Take it from me and I'm not RC. He is right, handing out condoms in a different way will make no difference to HIV infection, taking contol of your own life and abstaining will.End of story great is'nt it.

  • Think about it
    Jul 20 2008, 16:58
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    It seems GATOT actually beleives this completely farcical but very PC comment on HIV.

  • gatot_soedarto
    Jul 19 2008, 15:44
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    HIV /AIDS are caused by Ultra Violet ( UV ) radiation and its interaction with local radiation. The HIV strains are determined by local radiation. The free sex doer make themselves ABSORBER UV. Although they use condoms or not, they still absorber UV. The high rate of HIV infection in Africa because that regions receive much more UV from the sun. The high rate also in the tropics region of world. Of course, positive change would result from trusting people to take control of their lives. For AIDS treatment I suggested DAFP's Formula : AIDS patient must be treated in FRR ( Free Radiation treatment Room ). Anyone can do with no more money, just the efforts to terminated or eliminated UV. With kind regards, Gatot Soedarto