The Independent News Source
NCR on Kindle - NCR classifieds - YouTube - Twitter - Facebook - Email Alerts - RSS
PDF versionVatican's rising African star determined to take risks
by John L Allen Jr on Feb. 13, 2010
Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana was named the new President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in late October, just as his debut on the global Catholic stage as the relator, or general secretary, of the Synod for Africa ended. It was in some ways a baptism by fire for the 61-year-old Ghanian prelate, introducing him among other things to the press climate in Rome. A few fairly innocent comments from Turkson about condoms, and about the prospect of a black pope, briefly became a cause célèbre in the Italian papers and prompted the Vatican to issue a swift “clarification.”
As Turkson now puts it, he was forced to realize that in conversation he may say things with a smile, but in print “the smile never comes across.”
Still, Turkson said he doesn’t want “circumspection” to get in the way of saying what he thinks. He’d rather speak the truth, he said, and run the risk of being misunderstood.
Read Allen's interview with Turkson here: Vatican's justice-peace head says what he thinks
I am disappointed that John
I am disappointed that John Allen in his recent interview with Cardinal Turkson (Vatican's rising African star determined to take risks ) did not press him on why, upon completion of the Synod of Bishops for Africa , he as Relator for the Synod, in reference to the Synod's Proposition #51 which called for "pastoral support which helps couples living with an affected (with HIV) spouse to inform and form their consciences, so that they might choose what is right, with full responsibility for the greater good of each other, their union and their family", told reporters Oct. 24 "Whether, as some people say, a condom in that situation should be seen as a method of protecting the other spouse or is still a means of contraception unacceptable to the Catholic Church is an issue that is still being discussed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith". On February 5, 2010 the Vatican office responsible for health care matters said that it had stopped work on a long-expected study of condoms and AIDS, and that "nothing serious"
had been done on the project."There was a project, there was, but nothing serious was delivered".
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, former head of the health care council, had said in 2006 that his staff was preparing a "profound study," requested by Pope Benedict XVI, that would consider "both the scientific and technical aspects linked to the condom, as well as the moral implications in all their amplitude." Surely Cardinal Turkson knew back in October 2009 that there was no substantive discussion going on with respect to the morality of the use of condoms to save the lives of faithful wives at the mercy of their HIV-positive husbands.
Is there any question why informed Catholics are increasingly questioning the credability of their shepherds?
The use of condoms are 98%
The use of condoms are 98% effective in reducing the transmission of STI's, including HIV/Aids. (If someone wears them consistently, and if you are not in the 45% of men who wear the wrong size condom) Unfortunately, it is like pointing a gun at someone when the safety is on and you think it is unloaded. Eventually it is going to lead to a fatal accident.
So in that respect it would make the Church morally culpable for the 2% that get infected through sex with condoms for recommending those who contracted HIV outside their marriage to have sex with their partners with a condom on.
You also have to ask what the responsibility of the Church is to those who refuse to listen to the Church's decree on remaining celibate because they desire to have sex, but might listen to the Church to agree to put a condom on. I would like to suggest that population is very small. After all, most of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases is through prostitution, where the distribution of condoms have proven to be almost useless. It is not hard to see why, given that any online advertisement for prostitutes on Craigslist will include offers of risky sex acts without condoms. When you are shelling out for pleasure in casual sex, you are disinclined to reduce the pleasure you get. If you are willing to ignore the teachings of the Church on extra-marital sex, I doubt if you are going to think your soul or character is in a greater state of health because you didn't wear a condom.
By stating that using condoms with your wife is more morally permissible, rather than saying that all HIV positive sex is sinful, you may get those who are faithful Catholics who decide to engage in sexual relations with a condom who otherwise would be celibate. Aside from the small increase in risk by having sexual activity with condoms, it will inevitably lead to sex play without condoms which will greatly increase the risk.
The problem with condoms as a public health measure isn't that there is anything wrong with the condoms. When they are used properly, they work just fine. The problem is with the people that are being trusted to use them when they are in a state similar to intoxication.
I do hope NCR is planning to
I do hope NCR is planning to do a bit MORE than this for Black History Month...
cf. http://www.thegrio.com/black-history/
Cardinal Turkson referenced
Cardinal Turkson referenced an event at DePaul University to which he was invited. Does anyone know when the event is taking place? I would love to go.
The event that Cardinal
The event that Cardinal Turkson was referring to is part of week-long long celebration at DePaul University called the "World Catholicism Week 2010." He will be one of the main speakers in a two-day conference called "Tradition and Liberation: Charity in Truth and the New Face of Social Progress" along with Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations. The event is scheduled on April 21 & 22. The event website will be ready this week worldcath2010.depaul.edu. Please call us or email us for more information at aferna23@depaul.edu (773)255-4157.
Post new comment