Holy Father: more Christ-like than Blair-like (Deo gratias)

The BBC and others are grossly misreporting what the Holy Father has said about condoms. Some of this is doubtless a result of ignorance and laziness, some wishful thinking and some deliberate pursuing an agenda of their own.

What he actually said was very specific: in the case of somebody who is in a very bad place, then the intention of minimising harm to others might be the start of a moral awakening.

Thus as a pastor, and following in the footsteps of his Lord, he is always looking for signs of hope, for the potential redemption of every sinner - indeed of us all. With the eyes of faith he can see even in the most depraved situation that there may be the first quickening of moral awareness in a small shift of intentions.
That is what he said and I believe is what he meant.

Of course the media twisted it. But he is not there to be a spin doctor. He models himself on Christ, not Blair. Ands just as Christ was often wilfully misunderstood by his hearers, so is the Holy Father.