The Vatican will host
international scientists at a conference on AIDS in late May, an
encounter church officials hope will help clarify Pope Benedict XVI's
recent comments on condom use in AIDS prevention, a Vatican official
said.
Following the one-day conference May 28, the Vatican plans to publish a
handbook of pastoral guidelines for Catholic health care workers on AIDS
care and prevention, Msgr. Jean-Marie Mpendawatu, undersecretary of the
Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, said Feb. 3.
Msgr. Mpendawatu said the Vatican conference and the subsequent
guidelines would take a "global" approach to the AIDS question, and not
focus on condoms. But he said the condom issue would be addressed, in
the wake of the recent debate over Pope Benedict's remarks and a Vatican
doctrinal note that followed.
In the book-length interview, "Light of the World," published in
November, the pope said that while condoms were not the answer to the
AIDS epidemic, the use of condoms may be a sign of moral responsibility
in some specific situations when the intention is to reduce the risk of
infection. He gave the example of a prostitute.
The papal comments sparked discussion and debate, including among
Catholic health care professionals.
In December, the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith issued an explanatory note saying the pope's
remarks did not signify a change in the church's moral teaching or its
pastoral practice, in particular on birth control.
Msgr. Mpendawatu said that among those attending the May conference
would be leading scientific experts on AIDS, including Michel Sibide,
executive director of the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS.
He said
ranking Vatican officials would also address the conference, and explain
to participants in further detail the points made in the doctrinal
congregation's note.
"Sometimes there is a problem of understanding, of explaining things
well: What did the pope say, really, authentically? What is the thinking
of the pope?" he said.
He said the results of the May conference, which will look at the
church's global effort to assist AIDS patients, would also represent a
contribution to the 6th International AIDS Society scientific conference
to be held in Rome July 17-20.
Msgr. Mpendawatu said the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry
would probably issue the pastoral guidelines on AIDS care and prevention
sometime later in 2011, after review by Vatican doctrinal officials.
The pontifical council provides guidance and assistance to Catholic
health care institutions, organizations and individual professionals,
including doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
The council also is preparing to update its "Charter for Health Care
Workers," which dates to 1994.
The charter was framed by the principle
that all health care must be performed in the service of life and with
full respect for the human person, and new bioethical issues need to be
addressed, he said.