Donating body to medical school

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What is the Church’s stand on donating one’s body, after death, to a medical school for dissection?

I have had this in my will since my attorney spoke to the archdiocese, but now am told by some that this is not allowed for Catholics.

This seems strange since we are already dead and it will help teach students to be better doctors.

The school will return the ashes for burial.
 
The Catechism says in paragraph 2301:
Autopsies can be morally permitted for legal inquests or scientific research.

The CCC also states in paragraph 2300:
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.

If your body is used for legitimate scientific research and it is treated with respect and charity and is interned, I can’t see why it would not be allowed.
 
Dittos.

Same reasons as cremation is not forbidden, unless done in opposition to the belief that our bodies will rise again, and the deceased wished to be cremated in defiance of such beliefs.
 
The shape I’m in, I could donate my body to science-fiction.
 
It is morally permissible to donate your body ((once you are dead)) to a medical school as long as they treat your body with appropriate respect. In my past life I was a pre-med student and can tell you first hand that some schools do not treat the human body with the duty of respect that the Church calls for.

if it is possible to donate your body to a particular medical school you may want to give it to a catholic or christian one.

peace.
 
Jessi_Thomist said:
It is morally permissible to donate your body ((once you are dead)) to a medical school as long as they treat your body with appropriate respect. In my past life I was a pre-med student and can tell you first hand that some schools do not treat the human body with the duty of respect that the Church calls for.

if it is possible to donate your body to a particular medical school you may want to give it to a catholic or christian one.

peace.
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Most respectable medical schools have code of conduct with respect to cadavers. If you have any doubt donate to a Catholic university’s medical school, Saint Louis University is my destination.
 
Unfortunately, I live on the west coast and transportation from the funeral home is not affordable for me.
I am trusting that the medical school I have chosen will respect my remains.
 
Thank you, Phemie, that was a wonderful story and the idea of having a note pinned to the body is also a great idea.

I am not such a well rounded person as Mary Louise, but hopefully I have contributed something to society.
 
Just a note regarding my own experience. I believe the actual question of the Church’s stance has been answered. I attended medical school July 1993 through June 1997 at University of California, San Francisco. Christians were treated dismally and were regularly insulted for their faith in classes and small groups. However, the anatomy lab had extremely strict codes of conduct. The cadavers were to be treated with the utmost respect and, when finished, the option was given to hold a memorial service, inviting the family members.

When I first entered the lab and was assigned to my table, I looked at the body in front of me and had a lump in my throat that made it hard to swallow. The first thought I had was "This is someone’s mother; someone’s grandmother! Someone is out there grieving the loss of this person and I am about to cut the body in to pieces. Eventually, over the course of my studies, I developed a profound respect for the generosity of the person. I would walk in to the lab and say “good morning, Grandma. What are you going to teach me today?” Of course, I knew the truths of the situation, but this was my way of dealing with the emotional impact the lab requirement had on me.

I know there have been stories of awful and disrespectful acts in medical school anatomy labs. However, I believe, most medical students shared, at least to some extent, my experience. Awe and respect for the enormous generosity of a person who contributed more than any professor anywhere to my education and my ability to understand, in some small way, the human anatomy and how to apply that to the healing arts.

I hope that adds a little comfort to any questions you may be having.
 
A well known priest in San Antonio died a couple of years ago and he donated his body to the local medical school. Since his death I’ve heard nothing in the local press about his body’s release (and I guess I really don’t know if there would be).

His name was Monsignor Balty Janacek and he was of Czech origin. He was the overseer of the Old Spanish Missions within the Archdiocese of San Antonio and had also served as a pastor to the deaf community.

Here’s a link to an interesting story about him: monettebenoit.com/2007/10/cart-and-10000-spaghetti-dinner.html

Once his body is released, I presume it is cremated, but would there then be another memorial mass? I presume that when his ashes are interred that there would be some sort of religious ceremony. Does anybody know what really happens?:confused:
 
jenkiedad said:
A well known priest in San Antonio died a couple of years ago and he donated his body to the local medical school. Since his death I’ve heard nothing in the local press about his body’s release (and I guess I really don’t know if there would be).

Once his body is released, I presume it is cremated, but would there then be another memorial mass? I presume that when his ashes are interred that there would be some sort of religious ceremony. Does anybody know what really happens?:confused:
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Earnest: Thank you for the links, but they did not answer my questions. 😉 I did go to all the links and threads and did not find the explanations, other than what I already knew; i.e., Catholics can donate their body to science and when the “medical school” or research is completed, the body or cremated remains must be buried (in a cemetery). Here are my questions again,
  1. Once the medical school cremates your remains and returns them to your family, would there then be another Memorial Mass?
  2. When the ashes are interred at a cemetery, would there then be a gravesite religious ceremony?
If there are links that answer these questions, please point me in the right direction.:confused:
 
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