Yesterday, the Pope’s comments about condoms caused a huge international stir, because it seemed like he was signaling a change in Catholic policy.

So today the Vatican rushed out another statement to clarify that when Pope Benedict said it might be OK for male prostitutes to use condoms, he meant only male prostitutes: Pope’s comments don’t change church teaching.

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Sunday cautioned that there is nothing “revolutionary” in Pope Benedict XVI’s startling assertion that condom use in exceptional circumstances can be a responsible act in the fight against the spread of HIV.

The Holy See’s chief spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, issued a statement stressing that the pope’s comment in a book being published Tuesday neither “reforms or changes” church teaching, which forbids use of condoms and other contraceptives.