Marriage, children

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Hi. I have a question. If a couple wants to get married, but haven’t yet because they are either in the planning stage or about to get engaged, and one of the two is diagnosed with a disease (like cancer), which will cause death before the couple can get married, could that couple try for children?
 
No, fornication is still a mortal sin.

Also, it is wrong to purposely plan for a child not to have one parent.
 
Thanks. I thought the same. Your answer is simple, but there are things still bothering me, even though I agree with this: What if the couple gets married - can they then plan for a child? Which would it be: they’re trusting God that he will heal the affected person, or they’re not trusting God by getting married as quickly as possible? I guess this isn’t a life-changing question, but I’m interested to know this, because I don’t fully understand. Maybe I’m learning this for a greater reason.
 
Well, just as a practial matter, if the woman has cancer, it’s likely impossible for her to have a child while being treated. Radiation would kill a fetus, as would chemotherapy or the newer drugs they use to suppress fast-dividing cells. If the treatment didn’t kill the fetus, but damaged it severely, the parents would be guilty of purposely harming their child by conceiving it during that time… pre-natal child abuse! This assumes they knew of the cancer before conception.

If the man has cancer, he may not produce enough healthy sperm to conceive a child. Or his sperm may be damaged by the treatment, and his child harmed in that way.

There’s a difference between trusting God and making rash, foolhardy decisions and then wanting Him to bail you out. No couple where one is facing death should be having children. If the sick person gets healed, then the couple can pursue parenthood. But parenthood is not a right, and the needs and rights of the child must be foremost in considerations of whether to become parents.
 
mrc

AS far as being open to life I thing you’re getting some things mixed up. If the couple is married and the man, say, has had a bout with stomach cancer and is given 6 months I think they must leave it in the hands of God. Three things occur to me…Dr’s are hardly ever right when they pronounce a death sentence. Two is that a child isn’t an end all be all. That child is a person who will have needs. Number 3 is that is to remmeber that none of us know when we are going to die.
 
:hmmm: You’re right. Thanks! 👍 I have remembered many things because of this. Thank you! 🙂
 
I agree with you, purplesunshine. That’s what I was referring to in my second post. I guess I asked the question not really knowing why I so badly wanted to know the answer, but the replies from SaltySirena made me remember many things (not specifically about this thread). Thanks for the replies! 🙂
 
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