Shortly after Chris Bain was appointed Cafod director in 2003, the charity experienced one of what he calls its “wobbles”. The aid agency came under fire for its policy on condoms and HIV. It favoured the “ABC” strategy, which recognised that condoms can prevent HIV transmission. Cafod insisted that it neither funded nor distributed condoms, but some Catholics – including priests – called for a boycott. The fiery journal Christian Order accused the charity of “condomania”.
Bain was barely a year into what he calls “the best job in the world”. He knew that if he bungled the response, Cafod could alienate the community it depended on.
