Is Donum Vitae binding for Catholics? Is there a contradiction with the Cathecism?

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aleoje

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While reading the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (usccb.org/) I found an article on reproductive technology with guidelines for Catholic couples: usccb.org/prolife/treatment.htm.

The article, written by Dr. Hanna Klaus, states the following:

Reproductive Technologies in Disagreement with Catholic Teachings:
  1. Obtaining a sample of seminal fluid by masturbation.
among others. Also, in a footnote, the article clarifies that the guidelines are drawn from the document Donum Vitae.

While checking Donum Vitae (priestsforlife.org/magisterium/donumvitae.htm)), in its paragraph II.B.6 regarding Homologous Artificial Insemination, while touching the subject of masturbation it states:

“Masturbation, through which the sperm is normally obtained, is another sign of this dissociation: even when it is done for the purpose of procreation, the act remains deprived of its unitive meaning: “It lacks the sexual relationship called for by the moral order, namely the relationship which realizes ‘the full sense of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love.’”

Under this scenario is clear that donating semen samples for the purpose of sperm count would not be morally admissible.

However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states in its paragraph 2352:

2352 By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”
To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

It derives from the paragraph above that the key words are “sexual pleasure”. Under this scenario, donation of sperm sample for medical purposes would seem to be excluded from the moral culpability associated to it under normal circumstances.

Is there a contradiction here? I would be very thankful if someone could clarify this issue for me.

A side note: this is exactly what doctors are asking from me at this time to study the infertility problem of my wife and I, but I am attempting to behave in all things as a Catholic should. Fortunately, I do not have a problem with this practice but don’t want to disappoint the Lord. Also, I wonder if the fact that my wife is Baptist changes the scenario at all. She is a little anxious about this (she’s 37) and does not quite understand the moral dilemma that I think I am seeing.

A second note: If this is truly prohibited, why I don’t hear the outcry of millions of Catholic opposing the donations? Am I the first one?? Or is there a crack in the windshield of truth? (beyond my problem, this is the scary part I think…)

Thanks to all and may God bless you,
Alejandro
 
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aleoje:
Under this scenario is clear that donating semen samples for the purpose of sperm count would not be morally admissible.
Click to expand...
I honestly don’t see how you came to that conclusion. There is no contradiction. Masturbation is morally wrong nearly always. The sole exception when it may be used is during the act of sexual intercourse. If you donate your sperm, you could end up with children who are murdered. They will frequently destroy “leftover” embryos.

You and your wife should try Natural Family Planning to help you conceive. Also, perhaps you should consider adopting.

omsoul.com/nfpinfo.php
 
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aleoje:
It derives from the paragraph above that the key words are “sexual pleasure”.
Click to expand...
No, the key words are these (emphasis added): “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.”

– Mark L. Chance.
 
I wouldn’t be able to understand how collection of a sample for medical purposes, to facilitate a course of medical therapy, would be immoral. There are very clear teachings, and then there are some gray areas as stated above. This is one of them.

We are told by God in the commandments not to kill (murder?), but then there are times when one has legitimate reasons to take the life of another human being.

Is it not also wrong, to not take care of our health? JPII went to the hospital for care, until the doctors told him that there was nothing more they could do, then he went back to the Papal apartments at the Vatican and put the matter in God’s hands.

There was a judge talking about ethics on CSPAN recently. He posed a dilemma. This may not be exactly the thing the judge said, but it went something like this. If a person is ill, don’t they use up all their insurance coverage to prolong their life? But, if the doctor said they could prolong their life one more week, if they undertook a treatment that would cost $1 million from their own bank account( and use up the inheritance of their heirs), would they do it? Why would they unhesitatingly do the former, but not the latter?
 
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