Donating bodies to science

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Does anyone know what The Church teaches regarding donating bodies to science? Much has been learned from dissecting cadavers, but does The Church have a problem with this if the bodies are never buried or cremated?
 
I am not sure but the following paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church seem to suggest it would be a good idea:
  1. Organ transplants are in conformity with the moral law if the physical and psychological dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the good that is sought for the recipient. Organ donation after death is a noble and meritorious act and is to be encouraged as an expression of generous solidarity. It is not morally acceptable if the donor or his proxy has not given explicit consent. Moreover, it is not morally admissible directly to bring about the disabling mutilation or death of a human being, even in order to delay the death of other persons.
  2. The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy; it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit.
  3. Autopsies can be morally permitted for legal inquests or scientific research. The free gift of organs after death is legitimate and can be meritorious. The Church permits cremation, provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.
Todd
 
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Jamz:
Does anyone know what The Church teaches regarding donating bodies to science? Much has been learned from dissecting cadavers, but does The Church have a problem with this if the bodies are never buried or cremated?
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Our priest is donating his body to science when he dies. The Church does allow cremation now, as long as you aren’t doing so as some sort of denial of the ressurection of the body.

SV
 
The problem of cremation was an issue for the Church at one time because of its association with denial of the resurrection. Today cremation is acceptable as long as it is not done in denial of bodily resurrection. Also, the ashes must be properly interred. The donation of organs has similar implications. One must remember that the church does believe in the bodily resurrection of the faithful. God can as easily reform our bodies after organ donation or cremation as He can after standard burial.
 
Thank God for those that do…but the whole thing creeps me out…unless the Church attaches some super mega highly indulgenced purgatory applications, I think I’ll keep my organs…its a very personal thing and I dont think ANYONE has the right to condemn another for not doing so.
 
Faithful 2 Rome:
Thank God for those that do…but the whole thing creeps me out…unless the Church attaches some super mega highly indulgenced purgatory applications, I think I’ll keep my organs…its a very personal thing and I dont think ANYONE has the right to condemn another for not doing so.
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You are quite right that it is personal and no one should condemn you for your feelings. I intend to donate any and everything that can be used but that does not make me any better than someone who feels as you do. I do not expect anything in the afterlife for this, the knowledge that I may save a life is reward enough. 👍
 
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Lance:
You are quite right that it is personal and no one should condemn you for your feelings. I intend to donate any and everything that can be used but that does not make me any better than someone who feels as you do. I do not expect anything in the afterlife for this, the knowledge that I may save a life is reward enough. 👍
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I agree completely. If someone can have a better life because of one of my organs, or a study of my body helps find a cure for an illness, it would be enough reason for donating. I recognize, however, that not everybody feels that way. Of my brothers, I am the only one to believe in donation. My wife and children have been informed of my desires, but I know they will not donate their own organs.

But I also have a selfish reason - I’m claustrophobic.

John
 
I’m an organ donor. I’m a smoker so I’m sure the lungs won’t go anywhere, but they can take my eyes, and heart liver kidneys et al. I didn’t sign the card, but my parents and brothers and sisters know that’s what I want.

I’m not using em, why shouldn’t someone else who needs em have em.

My dad and mom want to donate their bodies to science. Which is good because the cost of all that funeral stuff is ridiculous now, I can’t imagine how much it’s gonna cost in 30 years or so when they die. The money they would be splitting among the kids (5) and grandkids(currently 4) and the church would be pennies after the costs of all that stuff, especially if nursing homes become a necessity.
 
Bodies donated to science are generally used for dissection as part of a medical school educational curriculum for future physicians. That in itself is a noble cause, I guess, but it isn’t the type of thing that will lead to cures for diseases.

Personally I am all for organ donation, but the thought of some students dissecting my body gives me the creeps. :bigyikes:

Not that I will need it anymore, of course. But I am much too shy to have my body lying around some medical school for a couple of years. :nope:

Then again, I am also claustrophobic, so once they take out anything that they can use to help someone else, I plan to opt for cremation and interrment of whatever’s left.

But I hope it isn’t anytime soon… :cool:
 
My sons and I drive by two cemetaries on the way to school every day, so we talk about death more than usual (I would think). They have each said, “I don’t want to be buried.” To which I said, “Well, of course you don’t! You’re not dead yet! Nobody wants to be buried when they’re still alive! Nobody does that! But once a person’s dead, they’re okay with it.” Upon being assured that God would make sure that the day they died would be on the right day, they decided the whole thing would be okay.

Whatever you decide, I think that when you’re dead, you’ll be okay with it.
 
It seems I read the Church got over its initial opposition to cremation years ago when it took into account all the martyrs who were burned at the stake.
 
I would consider it an honor if some giddy medical student dissects my carcase on his or her way to becoming a physician: I’ll absorb the indignity as the price of contributing to the cause.

I’ve made arrangements to donate my brain to the local brain tissue bank – they’re looking for normal brains. Boy! Are they in for a surprise! :rotfl:
 
When I was in Nursing School at Temple U. in Philadelphia, I “visisted” the dissection room of the Medical School. We were told that at the end of the course, the bodies were cremated. The students held a memorial service for the subjects. This was over 25 years ago. So I don’t know if it’s still true. But I hope this provides more information for anyone considering donating their body to science. You won’t be studied forever. Eventually, you will be put to rest.
 
Intresting read called Stiffs investigates what happens to bodies when they are donated to science. Even after I read it, mine will be donated. With my medical conditions, I’d hope it can be of benefit to someone…
 
I work at an eye bank and will most assuredly be donating anything I can. With few exceptions, no bone form the arms or my whole dang body.

From my experience in the funeral business, I believe that final viewing and closure it brings is too important to be dismissed.

Im not a big fan of cremation, if you have ever watched one I’m sure you would understand. Spooky.
 
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Trelow:
Im not a big fan of cremation, if you have ever watched one I’m sure you would understand. Spooky.
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Yes. It looked like hell in there, with all the flames licking around. OTOH, there is no way of disposing of a body that seems attractive to me now. (I guess it’s because I’m not dead yet!)

I have done cadaver dissection. We were instructed that every little bit possible was to be carefully saved, so that the body would be as whole as possible when it was finally laid to rest. It was not just “the rules” or the law concerning the treatment of corpses. It was also seen as a necessary gratitude to show towards the person and family who made the study possible.
 
Mary's Lamb:
When I was in Nursing School at Temple U. in Philadelphia, I “visisted” the dissection room of the Medical School. We were told that at the end of the course, the bodies were cremated. The students held a memorial service for the subjects. This was over 25 years ago. So I don’t know if it’s still true. But I hope this provides more information for anyone considering donating their body to science. You won’t be studied forever. Eventually, you will be put to rest.
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We did the same thing when I was a first-year medical student and I know my alma mater still does this because I teach there now.

Normal bodies (from those who die of natural causes) tend to go to schools to teach gross anatomy. Donated bodies from people with a history of neuralogical diseases like schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s, in particular, are usually used for medical research, not teaching anatomy. In fact, much of what we know about these two diseases comes from the postmortem study of brains from people who were afflicted with them.
 
Just a thought…

There is no informed consent after the initial one donating the body. So, your body might be unacceptable for anatomical instruction or other medical research and may be sold to a body broker who markets it to other users. For example, you might step on a landmine to research better footwear for soldiers or be crashed in a car to develop safer airbags. Both of these are legitimate in some ways but the story goes on. Some bodies are used by a prominent casket company to study the effects of above-ground interment on embalmed and unembalmed remains. Such a facility is near my home. Other uses might be plastic surgery school or even mortuary science schools.

The point is that one should not confuse donating your body with its eventual use in training physicians of tomorrow. After some research on the actual uses of cadavers, I am sure that whole body donation is not for me. Neither is embalming though. Did you know that as much donated skin is used for penile enlargements as for burn patient grafts? As for cremation, the retort is difficult to clean and your “cremains” may contain a small amount of someone else.

I recommend two books, one on cadaver uses “Stiff, the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” and the other one on forensic science by William Maples but I forget the exact title - something like “Dead men do Tell Tales”.

In the end, it is really up to your survivors. I have told my wife that I wish to donate organs, and be quickly buried in a plain cardboard box without embalming. However, I also told her to do whatever she thinks is best and whatever is easier for her.

Cheers.
 
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