Leaving the decision as to whether you wear a condom during intercourse or pick when you want to have children to men who will never have to face either of the choices is a sign of true faith. While feminist groups have been fighting tooth and nail to stop this behavior, millions of people side with the Catholic Church, freely give it the authority to place the rosaries on their ovaries and a plethora of other parts.    

 

Now, it’s a well-known fact that men of cloth have never been big fans of latex. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI stated that contraception leads to the “breakdown in sexual morality.” Yet as the AIDS statistics prove, it seems to be the lack of contraception that is causing a breakdown in places where myth, not morality, defines sexuality.

 

The Catholic policy is changing accordingly. The Vatican has indicated that it may allow the use of condoms between married persons as a means of halting the spread of AIDS. The change is a “lesser of two evils” in a battle against a raging epidemic, according to one cardinal.

 

But while the Catholic Church is amending one of its harshest policies, it is far from deviating from Christian ideals. It is sticking to its core principles by practically approaching the problem. 

 

If there is one thing that secular liberals and Catholic conservatives can agree on, it’s that the welfare of children should be protected. And it is children, more than anyone else, who will benefit from the new policy.

 

First, the permission by the church to use condoms between married couples will decrease the probability that the child born from that union will carry the virus, passed down in breast milk and other venues from mother to child.

 

Second, it may suppress the myth, prevalent in some societies, that having unprotected sex with a virgin (sometimes a baby girl as young as 3 months) will cure AIDS. This will prove especially true in arranged marriages where the bride is usually an underage virgin whose husband is a much older man who has been with multiple partners.

 

The result of not using protection is clearly reflected in the epidemiology of AIDS: over two-thirds of new HIV infections in the 15-25-year-old group are women. In some areas of sub-Saharan Africa girls are up to six times more likely to have been infected with HIV than boys their age.

 

Third, it may decrease the number of orphans. It is estimated that in sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are 12 million children orphaned because of AIDS. If the parents engage in sexual practices that are responsible, they are not only affecting their own well being but also that of the innocent young creatures that are dependent on them for both economic and emotional support. This, after all, is the Catholic family ideal.

 

When it comes to “practice what you preach” the Catholic Church is more than justified in loosening its ban on contraception. The new rule should be seen as means of fulfilling its commitment to protecting and bettering the lives of children rather than trying to make another move in the political game over adult sexuality.