From the BBC:

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has introduced a $51m (£26m) plan to subsidize birth control pills in Latin America's largest country. He said the programme would give the poor the same right as the wealthy to have the number of children they want.

The initiative comes just two weeks after Pope Benedict's visit to Brazil, when he urged Catholics to maintain traditional family values.

Brazil already tackles Aids and other STDs by handing out free condoms. Birth control pills are also sometimes available for free at government-run clinics.

As I've said, Brazil is going in the opposite way of the Pope and the catholic Church's desires. I'm so happy because President Lula is taking care of this issues, and he is willing to challenge the Church's moralism in a very Catholic country. All for the sake and health of the people.

The article also says:

The new proposals will not help the already strained relations between the government and the Catholic Church, which believes that official sexual health programmes in Brazil are encouraging promiscuity.

But the move has been welcomed by women's groups who say they hope it could help to reduce the 800,000 illegal abortions that Brazilian women have each year.

Encouraging promiscuity? That's pure BS. People is having sex, whether the Church likes it or not. It's a simple fact. So, when the Pope forbids the use of condoms and birth control methods, he's not only denying the reality, but he also is saying: if you want to have sex outside of the Catholic Church's law, you must be willing to get pregnant or sick... and maybe die. And if you choose to have sex and challenge the Catholic law, no one should care about what's going to happen to you.

How Christian is that?

Besides, birth control methods definitely helps to reduce the number of abortions. Shouldn't the Church support that?

Via: Vivir Latino