Arcigay initiative this afternoon – March 25, 2009 – in front of the archiepiscopal seat of Genoa, headed by the cardinal and president of the CEI, Angelo Bagnasco, who in recent days had intervened in defense of the Pope, following the criticism raised by his recent statements on the subject of AIDS.
To protest against Ratzinger's statements, several dozen activists unfurled a long banner with the words 'The condom is life'’ and distributed condoms and informational flyers to passersby.
""We want – said the national secretary of Arcigay, Riccardo Gottardi – send a message to the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference Bagnasco, according to whom the Pope had been insulted. In reality – Gottardi continued – the Pope was only criticized for the positions he expressed. In particular, he said that condoms are useless in fighting AIDS and actually cause harm. This is not true, Condoms are life and this is the message we displayed on a banner in front of the Archbishop's Palace, so that the president of the CEI could bring this information to the pontiff and at the same time - added the national secretary of Arcigay - we tried to inform the population by distributing
flyers and condoms here in the square.".
""Italian politicians," Gottardi emphasized, "are always very afraid to criticize the Vatican, even when messages from the Vatican are profoundly flawed and even pose a threat to the public's health.
Condoms are a fundamental tool," Gottardi concluded, “in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS, which still claims countless victims in Italy.”.
