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Condom Use to Prevent AIDS Transmission

Question:

Does the Church allow condom use between married spouses to avoid AIDS when one spouse is infected?

Answer:

Spouses in such a marital scenario are undoubtedly in a challenging situation. However, the answer is not the use of condoms. The moral law is “latex-immune,” so even if it helps avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease, a condom or other contraceptive means cannot protect our hearts and souls from the inevitable fallout of sexual misbehavior, including contraception by married couples in this extraordinary case.

Such couples need to be supported in living a marriage of complete continence, i.e., as brother and sister. This is not simply possible but preferable with God’s grace, which we can access through various means, particularly regular reception of the Eucharist and taking advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation, e.g., on a monthly basis.

For more on the problems of contraception, see this article and other material from Catholic Answers.

For more information on the effectiveness of chastity vs. the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS , see this article and this book review that address the findings of Harvard University research scientist Dr. Edward C. Green.

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