Two interesting bits of news out of the Vatican: more from Pope Benedict on the clergy sex abuse crisis, and his controversial/confusing comments about condoms.

Check out these links:

• Pope links sex abuse to vices (Religion News Service)
• Vatican clarifies pope’s condom comments (AP)
• Pope sees clergy sex abuse as product of moral relativism (Religion Clause)
• Pope shares wise words on clergy sex abuse (The Seeker, Chicago Tribune)
• Condoms ‘not a lesser evil,” Vatican insists (National Catholic Reporter)

I must confess, I’m stil confused about the condoms stance. I understand what Pope Benedict seems to be trying to convey, but I don’t understand why the Catholic Church can’t formally clarify certain exceptions, like one for the use of condoms for a married couple where one spouse is infected with AIDS or some other sexually transmitted disease.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.

*Click here to subscribe to Belief Beat and click here to follow Belief Beat on Twitter.