Pope Benedict XV. (Creative Commons)

"In certain cases, where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection, it can nevertheless be a first step on the way to another, more humane sexuality," says the pope, who oversees the world's one billion Cathloic parshioners.

The excerpt was one of several published Saturday by The Vatican newspaper ahead of the release of "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times"--a book based on a German journalist's 20 hours of interviews with the pope. The pope was aksed 90 questions during the interviews, which were conducted in late July.

The Catholic Church has long held that abstience is the only way to protect onself from sexually transmitted diseases. The pope noted that condoms are still not the "real or moral" solution.

He said the "sheer fixation on the condom implies a canalization of sexuality" where sexuality is no longer an expression of love "but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves."

About 20 months ago in a visit to Africa, the pope said condoms contribute to the spread of disease. The comments unleashed a new wave of criticism on the church.

The central office of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was closed for the weekend and could not be reached for comment.

Reach executive producer Paresh Dave here. Follow him on Twitter: @peard33.