Sydney, Apr. 10 : The head of Australia's Catholic Church, Cardinal George Pell said today that most AIDS-afflicted countries were ''awash with condoms''.

Cardinal Pell said he agreed with Pope Benedict XVI that condoms were aggravating the African AIDS epidemic by encouraging promiscuity.

"The idea that you can solve a great spiritual and health crisis like AIDS with a few mechanical contraptions like condoms is ridiculous," Cardinal Pell said.

Mr Phillip Jensen, Anglican Dean of Sydney, said he sympathised with Cardinal Pell''s views on promiscuity, but did not believe condoms alone had made society more promiscuous.

"In terms of adultery, in terms of divorce, in terms of grandchildren, yes we are in big trouble as a society because of the sexual revolution," Fox News quoted him, as saying.

"It came out of Virginia Woolf and that crowd (in England in the early 20th century). It''s a century-long movement that has happened. In my view, it''s a disaster. It has ruined lives. It is ruining our society," Jensen added.

Jensen said he could not comment specifically about AIDS in Africa, and said that the Anglican Church was not opposed to contraception.

Cardinal Pell said a non-Catholic health worker in Africa had told him condoms were not an effective solution to Africa''s AIDS problem. (ANI)