Send a Letter

Tell the Bishops to Speak Truthfully About Condom Use

It is important we, as Catholics, speak out about the efficacy of condoms in stopping the spread of AIDS, and insist that the US bishops do the same.

ACTION: Sign and send a copy of the letter (below) to Bishop William Skylstad, the newly elected President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Tell the bishops to lift their ban on condoms and demand they stop spreading false information about condom reliability.

ISSUE: The BBC’s “Panorama” program recently aired a documentary that explores how during the last twenty-five years the church has become an important force in limiting women’s reproductive rights. The program also points out the fact that the church, in the face of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, now officially claims that condoms do not protect against the AIDS virus.

When interviewed for the program, Cardinal Alfonso Trujillo claimed, “the AIDS virus is roughly 450 times smaller that the spermatozoon. The spermatozoon can easily pass through the ‘net’ that is formed by the condom.” He went on to say that condom packs should come with warning labels, similar to cigarettes, notifying consumers of their ineffectiveness in preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS.

After these statements were made public, the World Health Organization (WHO) immediately declared these to be simply not accurate, saying, “These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million.” WHO maintains that “consistent and correct” use of condoms reduces transmission by 90 percent.

This is not the first time the church has taken this position; there is a long history of the church making irresponsible comments regarding the use and efficacy of condoms. In Kenya, where an estimated 20 percent of people have the AIDS virus, the Archbishop of Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Nzeki, said, “AIDS . . . has grown so fast because of the availability of condoms.” Even in the United States, Cardinal McCarrick of Washington, DC, made a statement to the press that “condoms often fail.”

We need to support those in the church who know condoms help prevent the spread of AIDS and let the bishops know it is time to tell the truth.

Letter to Bishop Skylstad: Use the address below to contact Bishop Skylstad at the bishops’ conference or e–mail him at bishop@dioceseofspokane.org. Please tell us about your advocacy efforts by contacting us at info@condoms4life.org.

Most Reverend William S. Skylstad
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 Fourth Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017-1194

Dear Bishop Skylstad,

I am writing to you on behalf of 42 million people living with AIDS, of the millions impacted by the disease, and the 28 million who have died as a result of the epidemic. Without a doubt, I share with you a common concern for those who are affected by this debilitating pandemic, and we gratefully acknowledge all of the work the Catholic church, and most especially Catholic health and social services agencies, have done to treat the millions who are afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

However I am deeply concerned with Vatican spokesmen and other church officials who have made clear the church’s moral objections to condoms as a contraceptive, and the extension of this position to HIV/AIDS prevention. It is one thing for the church officials to state their moral objections; it is quite another for them to make false claims about the effectiveness of condoms, endangering at-risk communities. In addition, such claims only further complicate the work of Catholic service workers, who on a daily basis have to simultaneously confront the HIV/AIDS crisis and the conflict between basic public health standards and the official teachings of the Catholic church.

I support the World Health Organization’s response to the most recent claim: “these incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more that 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million.” And I appreciate that some with in the US church hierarchy have responded courageously, such as Cardinal Mahoney who stated that the claim that condoms are permeable directly contradicted his own understanding of the science on this issue.

I believe that the Catholic church should lift the ban on condoms as a moral and humanitarian matter. But, if not, should at the very least be clear that the church’s objections to condoms as a means of HIV/AIDS prevention are ecclesiastical, not scientific. Accordingly, I call upon you and your fellow bishops to repudiate the incorrect information that has been circulated by officials of the Catholic church, and we strongly urge you to be scrupulously honest in describing the effectiveness of condoms in the future.

Sincerely,

It is important that Catholics and non-Catholics alike make their voices heard on this important health question. While condoms are not a panacea to the AIDS epidemic, they do offer an important protection that should be available to anyone, regardless of economic power or geographical position. The Vatican actively lobbies governments around the world and at the United Nations to restrict people's access to condoms, claiming that condoms cause AIDS, not prevent it.

Join other concerned citizens of the world in this campaign now. Click here to see a list of local and national politicians and policy makers. Express your support for the availability of condoms and your concern that the Catholic bishops should not undermine responsible public health policy on HIV/AIDS.

If you are interested in becoming involved, fill out the form below and we will contact you!

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