CBCP hits media for 'sensationalizing' Church stance vs pills, abortion
Media misinterprets Catholic Church's teachings. Media too, sensationalizes. Says who? Said no less than the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in a latest news release. And why so for the media to do all that?
Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL) of the CBCP laid down the answer.
"Media misinterpret Church's teachings especially regarding contraceptives and abortion to suit their political and media agenda and sensationalize it accordingly to increase readership and viewers and attract advertisers," came Fr. Castro's explanation as posted in the CBCP news site.
The statement came amidst the nationwide hysteria created by the resurgence of talks on pending family bills in Congress. CBCP likewise took the opportunity to denounce earlier media reports supposedly implying CBCP acceptance of condom-use by couples infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and those with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (AIDS). Emphasis too was made not just on any HIV/AIDS couples but on "married HIV/AIDS couples." As such, it would be doubly sinful for not married ones with an HIV/AIDS infected partner to have sex and use condoms for protection during sex.
There is no clear directive from the Vatican on such, the CBCP stressed and "under no circumstances both Vatican and CBCP have ever made an official statement that the use of condoms are okayed as a last resort."
"What is demanded is self-discipline, and being faithful to one's partner would go a long way to curtail the HIV/AIDS menace," Fr. Castro in same CBCP news release added.