Church's opposition to condom use 'a shame'

The Roman Catholic Church’s opposition to the use of condoms in the fight against Aids is regrettable, Princess Stephanie of Monaco said today on her appointment as goodwill ambassador for the UN Aids agency.

The princess said that during her two-year term as UN Aids special representative she wants to make people realise more needs to be done about the deadly epidemic, particularly on the prevention side.

A glamorous lifestyle and numerous love affairs, despite her Catholic heritage, have given Stephanie – the youngest of the three children of Prince Rainier III and late Hollywood star Grace Kelly – a reputation as a royal rebel.

Speaking to reporters at the headquarters of the UN agency in Geneva, she said there was no alternative to condoms for the prevention of HIV/Aids. She called the Church’s opposition to the use of condoms “a shame” and added that the Church was “also against abortions, and the use of condoms would avoid abortions, too”.

She said she was committed to the fight against Aids “as a mother and as a woman of this century.” “But I think, maybe a lot of people hide behind the religious issue not to use condoms,” she added.