Moral dilemma: hereditary disease & children

[Palomas]

Hello,
I am new to the forum. I am in a dilemma and haven’t found anywhere (on this site or elsewhere) the following issue being discussed or addressed. I have a hereditary condition that has a 50% chance of being passed to children. If the child does get the condition, the medical community states that the child would have a more or less mild case of complications which will largely be “outgrown” when the child is through with adolescence. However, on some rare occasions, the child could have a severe case which would seriously debilitate him/her for the rest of their life. (I am not being too specific about the condition on purpose). My question is, is it morally wrong to enter into marriage, being open to new life, knowing that I could pass this on to my child and knowing that the child could be subjected to this type of suffering?
I am a Catholic; I’ve never been married, but am seriously considering marriage. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ron_Conte]

Based on the information you provided:

It is not morally wrong to marry and have children in that circumstance.
The disease does not affect half the children.
The half that it does affect will most likely be able to have a full life.
There is a rare chance of serious health problems in a child for any marriage.

Therefore, it is not immoral for you to marry and have children.

 

[TemplarKnight]

Marriage is a Sacrament of the Catholic Church. It is not your “choice” of whether or not something happens (God Forbid) to your child. However IF you decide to get married, the in the eyes of the Church you would be doing so for procreation. At that point when you have children their health rests solely on God’s will.

Marry and have children or don’t marry and don’t have children. But according to the Catholic Church, marriage and no children is not an option.

 

[Palomas]

Marriage is a Sacrament of the Catholic Church. It is not your “choice” of whether or not something happens (God Forbid) to your child. However IF you decide to get married, the in the eyes of the Church you would be doing so for procreation. At that point when you have children their health rests solely on God’s will.

Marry and have children or don’t marry and don’t have children. But according to the Catholic Church, marriage and no children is not an option.

Ron Conte & TemplarKnight,
Thank you for the insights. I already knew that if I am to marry, it is not an option to say that I won’t have children. I am just at a crucial juncture in my life and this question came up; I did not want to knowingly go to the altar with this if it was morally wrong. You are right, I must place the health of my children in God’s hands.

Now that I think about it, people could come up with a whole list of reasons why they shouldn’t have children (and according to the church, therefore shouldn’t marry) because of hereditary conditions (diabetes comes to mind).

Another thing to think about is that there is a place for suffering for spiritual growth, so if my children were to get this, our perspective should be that of growing closer to the cross of Christ.

Peace,
Palomas

 

[apricot_yogurt]

All of our children will die, just like we will.

 

[kage_ar]

I thank God that my parents did not consider the 50% chance of passing on the genetic condition of my father as a reason not to marry or have kids - I nor my 3 sibs would be here today. The odds were spot on, because 2 of us also have this debilitating condition.

My husband, son, co-workers, friends, fellow Parishioners, godchildren, students and my dog would most likely back me up this one

 

[colleenanne]

All of our children will die, just like we will.

I’m sure you didn’t mean for it to be so, but that statement was rather brutal.

I take it you’ve never lost a child.

If not, how wonderful that you’ve never experienced that pain.