Youths back condoms against HIV/AIDS at papal Youth Day


World Youth Day 4 All (WYD4All), a coalition that included longtime CTA allies in the youth division of the International Movement We Are Church, was a highly vocal progressive voice both before and during the papal-sponsored World Youth Day Aug. 16-21 in Cologne, Germany. One dramatic message was for the Vatican to lift the ban on condoms and to promote a compassionate and just position on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Even before the papal event began, billboards and posters blanketed the Cologne mass transit system, proclaiming in German, Spanish and English: “Condoms prevent HIV/AIDS” and “Good Catholics Use Condoms.” They came from a key coalition partner, www.condoms4all.org, an international project of Catholics for a Free Choice. Then WYD4All volunteers handed out the same message to papal Youth Day participants in the form of thousands of stickers and postcards. Andrea Ramirez of Bolivia said most people they approached were very receptive. “The young pilgrims were glad we were spreading the word about HIV and condoms,” she said.

WYD4All reported that at one of the papal-sponsored youth hearings, WYD4All volunteer Adam Qvist of Denmark asked the bishops present at that session, “How can you ban condoms when people are dying of AIDS?” The audience applauded for a full minute before being silenced by the moderator. Then every bishop there endorsed condom use in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

A representative from the U.S. working with the coalition in Cologne was Aisha Taylor, program director of the Women's Ordination Conference and a member of CTA's Anti-Racism Team.

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