Madam, - Mary Raftery claims (March 11th) that "the stated policy of the Catholic Church is actually killing people by the millions". Well, no, actually. AIDS is what is killing people by the millions. And as a matter of fact, the Church does not have a "stated policy" on the use of condoms in the fight against AIDS.
Abstinence is the best protection against HIV/AIDS. While the truth of this is obvious, no one suggests it is easy. Promoting abstinence involves getting people to change not only their behaviour, but their attitudes; condoms allow them to continue their destructive behaviour, in the mistaken belief that they and their partner are afforded full protection from the disease. (Recent research suggests a 20 per cent failure rate against HIV).
Where a person chooses not to abstain from sexual intercourse, in the knowledge that they are HIV positive, then their moral obligation to the welfare of their partner would suggest condom use rather than unprotected sex. Promoting abstinence does not mean dismissing the role of condoms.
Given the negative knee-jerk reaction to the notion of abstinence by many commentators, it is just as well that there is at least one organisation involved in the fight against AIDS that is prepared to promote the one strategy that guarantees success. - Yours, etc.,
MÁIRE GARVEY, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.