Beloved across the world by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, Pope Francis has broken the mold of papal policy when it comes to contraception (among other things). Before his arrival, though, the Vatican’s stance on family-planning methods — including the use of condoms — was insanely regressive.

In fact, during his first trip to Africa in 2009, Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, sent waves through international health organizations when he said that condoms could effectively worsen the country’s HIV crisis. (The pontiff later clarified his stance, saying that in “certain cases” they were acceptable to use.) Visual Artist Niki Johnson decided to use Pope Benedict’s statements as a jumping-off point to broaden the conversation about prophylactic use.

Keep Reading