<p><br /> Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that the use of condoms can be justified in some cases, such as for male prostitutes seeking to prevent the spread of HIV.<br /> </p><p><br /> The pontiff made the comments in a book-length interview with a German journalist, Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Vatican newspaper ran excerpts of the book on Saturday.<br /> </p><p><br /> Church teaching has long opposed condoms since they're a form of artificial contraception. The Vatican has been harshly criticised for its position given the AIDS crisis.<br /> </p><p><br /> Benedict said that for male prostitutes - for whom contraception isn't a central issue - condoms are not a moral solution.<br /> </p><p><br /> But he said they could be justified "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection".<br /> </p>
