AIDS, Condoms and the Church

The refusal of Archbishop Mahony to allow the AIDS Project of Los Angeles the use of Catholic meeting places for its presentation because Project speakers recommend the use of condoms to prevent or limit the spread of AIDS, presents an interesting ethical problem with very practical consequences.

Church spokesmen consider the use of condoms immoral, so they cannot seem to approve the Project’s recommendation of them by allowing the Project the use of a Catholic Church facility in which to present its program.

Ethically, the principle invoked is that evil means may not be used to achieve a good purpose. But another principle is also applicable: that a lesser evil which is practically invincible may be tolerated (not approved) in order to prevent or minimize a greater evil. It is on this principle that the Catholic Church considers war as morally tolerable under certain conditions.

AIDS is fast becoming a national scourge. Could not the church support this important city program--which certainly has a claim on our charity--and still meet the ethical problem by providing at each Project meeting a brief oral or printed statement of the church leaders’ positions?

FELIX DOHERTY

Bellflower