Pope says condoms permissible in some situations

ROME - Condom use is acceptable in certain situations, according to Pope Benedict XVI in statements made in a new book, excerpts of which were printed Saturday in Italy’s Osservatore Romano daily.

The pope cited the example of prostitutes who use condoms as a first step toward claiming responsibility for their lives, in statements cited in a new book, “Light of the World: The Pope, The Church and the Signs of the Times” by Peter Seewald.

However, he condemned condom use as banalising sex and said their use was not the way to halt the spread of HIV.

The book will officially be released Tuesday.