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Lexee15
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What is the Church’s stance on organ donation? I found some threads, but not anything that gave the official standing of the church on this…thanks.
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mosher
Guest
It is ok under the current Code of Canon Law but you have gaurd against Organ Harvesting which is often done. This is why I am removing the Organ Donar endorsement from my Drivers Liscense but I will have something in my will as guidence for the person that will be making decisions for me if I am unable.
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Lorarose
Guest
My husband and I approved the donation of our daughter’s heart when she was declared brain dead.
The Church recognizes brain death and approves donation under the proper circumstances.
It depends on which organs you are talking about.
Some organs can be donated after the body is dead (taken off life support) Some organs (like the heart) must be taken prior to removal from life support (but of course - declaration of brain death is required).
Some organs can even be donated while the donor is living.
It is very important that people become informed about the difference between brain death and other conditions - such as pvs- which the Church does not recognize as “death”
The Church recognizes brain death and approves donation under the proper circumstances.
It depends on which organs you are talking about.
Some organs can be donated after the body is dead (taken off life support) Some organs (like the heart) must be taken prior to removal from life support (but of course - declaration of brain death is required).
Some organs can even be donated while the donor is living.
It is very important that people become informed about the difference between brain death and other conditions - such as pvs- which the Church does not recognize as “death”
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mosher
Guest
Thank you for the further clarification.
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Daniel_Marsh
Guest
Can you trust a doctor who performs abortions for money to have your best interrest at heart when you are under his care? After all, there is money to be made in organ transplants.
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Aquarius
Guest
Daniel Marsh:
I would be very surprised if transplant surgeons were doing abortions.
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Jeanette_L
Guest
Daniel Marsh:
Jeanette
This is an area I have become increasingly uncomfortable with myself. I have taken the organ donor off my driver’s license as well, I do not trust the system anymore. Your right, sometimes it is a matter of money, and that stinks. When you take morality out of the cultural debate, everything us up for grabs, no common sense in establishing necessary standards anymore.
Jeanette
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Aquarius
Guest
Jeanette L:
Choosing not to donate is a personal matter. However, I would ask all those who choose not to donate if they would accept a donated organ from somone else who did leave that donor option on his license.This is an area I have become increasingly uncomfortable with myself. I have taken the organ donor off my driver’s license as well, I do not trust the system anymore. Your right, sometimes it is a matter of money, and that stinks. When you take morality out of the cultural debate, everything us up for grabs, no common sense in establishing necessary standards anymore.
Jeanette
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Jeanette_L
Guest
It’s a difficult dilemma, I know. There are no easy answers. I can’t say that I wouldn’t accept, but would I be confident that I was being given an organ in a completely moral way? I don’t know that I would have that kind of peace of mind about it. You wouldn’t know until the deed was done, if ever.
I certainly don’t begrudge anyone on either side of that kind of decision. I think it is extremely noble to decide to be a donor ahead of time. But it is a matter of personal choice and peace of mind.
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mjdonnelly
Guest
Also, cannot transplant sexual organs.
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Lorarose
Guest
What on earth are you talking about?
Abortionists are not the ones involved in the transplant process.
One reason they are abortionists is because they are terrible doctors and could not make it in legitimate medical practice.
There is a legitimate system set up for organ transplant that involves waiting lists based on need, along with a system designed to match compatible donors and recipients.
Please people, become familiar with the laws and process in your state before you write this off.
I am very comforted by the fact that a young girl with a defective heart is still alive because my daughter’s healthy heart gave her a chance.
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Jeanette_L
Guest
I think what the responder was trying to interject into the dialogue is the fact that the Medical/Science community has allowed for a philosophy of relativism to dominate any discussion of moral judgement, which in turn has allowed immoral practices (abortion being the example given, but not limited to) for the sake of financial gain, and the help of some to the detriment of others. I don’t think the intent was to suggest that the entire system or all practitioners were immoral or practicing for financial gain; only, that philosophical corruption has already been introduced into the system, which has a tendency over time to corrupt the system as a whole.
It is more about where it is all heading, not that there is any question that hundreds of thousands of people have been helped and blessed through the donor transplant system.
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Lorarose
Guest
I’m sorry Jeanette - but this is what he said.
When you said immoral practices - plural - what else were you referring to besides abortion?
What I saw was that brain death had to be declared by 3 concurring doctors before tranplantation could even be considered.
I am sure the transplant doctor was compensated for performing the procedure - as he should be.
I’m sure the team of professionals involved in matching organs to recipients and transporting the organs to the designated hospital were compensated for their services… as they should be.
I’m sure the doctor on the other end who placed the heart in the little girl’s chest was compensated for his services…as he should be.
Is this what people are talking about when they say “financial gain.” Because if they are - I have no problem with these professionals earning money for these services.
Which makes absolutely no sense to me at all.
When you said immoral practices - plural - what else were you referring to besides abortion?
Maybe peopel could stop speaking in generalities and give concrete examples of how corruption in the transplant process is taking place.
What I saw was that brain death had to be declared by 3 concurring doctors before tranplantation could even be considered.
I am sure the transplant doctor was compensated for performing the procedure - as he should be.
I’m sure the team of professionals involved in matching organs to recipients and transporting the organs to the designated hospital were compensated for their services… as they should be.
I’m sure the doctor on the other end who placed the heart in the little girl’s chest was compensated for his services…as he should be.
Is this what people are talking about when they say “financial gain.” Because if they are - I have no problem with these professionals earning money for these services.
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mary_bobo
Guest
God bless you for your decision to donate your daughter’s heart. I’m sure there is a special place in Heaven for people who do such a noble thing. And I bet your daughter is very grateful to you for allowing someone else to live.
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Jeanette_L
Guest
I’m sorry, this is evidently a very personal subject, and the OP’s question I believe was what the Church’s view was. The rest of us got sidetracked with personal feelings or concerns for both present and future circumstances, and maybe that wasn’t wise, considering how it has possibly hurt you.
We ended up talking about the place of Moral Theology/Philosophy and it’s place in medical practice as a whole, or where the trend for such is heading. It may have not been the right forum for this conversation.
My apologies.
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mary_bobo
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Lorarose
Guest
No apologies required - I’m a big girl and can take it.
I wouldn’t have responed to the op if I had not received the counsel of catholic priests during the process.
Afterwards, when I double checked the Church position myself - I found I had received the correct advice.
I have noticed on this website whenever the topic comes up, some people will respond by suggesting there is something sinister going on in the transplant process.
I would hate to see people wrongly influenced by rumor or misinformation.
On the other hand - if someone does know of concrete examples they can give, and back it up…I’m all ears.
I wouldn’t have responed to the op if I had not received the counsel of catholic priests during the process.
Afterwards, when I double checked the Church position myself - I found I had received the correct advice.
I have noticed on this website whenever the topic comes up, some people will respond by suggesting there is something sinister going on in the transplant process.
I would hate to see people wrongly influenced by rumor or misinformation.
On the other hand - if someone does know of concrete examples they can give, and back it up…I’m all ears.
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Lorarose
Guest
Yes…I have read some doctors are in it for the money as well.
I was getting my info from studies conducted by Life Dynamics and published in Lime5 where surveys filled out by the abortionists suggested there was trend among them of incompetence in other areas of medicine.
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Jeanette_L
Guest
I for one, don’t have any concrete examples when it comes to organ donors…, I think my misgivings stem from the fact that euthanasia and fetal stem cell research are on the table right now. The fact that the morality of these are even being debated is incredible to me.
My concern is if you have people running the medical system in general, whose moral/ethics philosophy is opposed to the Christian philosophy of the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death, then there may end up being flaws in the way these things are handled/determined. I am talking about the way things seem to be heading, not necessarily the way things are presently.
If we refuse to think about the future consequences of a flawed philosophy concerning what human life is and what our responsibilities are to all human beings, as is in the case of the philosophy that led to abortion on demand, ( which is really what the previous poster was alluding to), then we will end up in a nightmare scenario beyond anything we may imagine.
(I have been told that I am a concept thinker and not a detail thinker, so that may be why we are “butting heads”.)
I am not saying that anyone who has made the decision to donate organs was in any way wrong to do so, on the contrary, I think it is the highest and most nobel gift to another human being, and we should be thankful for such people. I have a very dear cousin who is waiting for a liver transplant, I pray for him daily and I completely empathize.
God Bless,
Jeanette
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Lorarose
Guest
I don’t think we’re butting heads!
If you saw a trend in immoral approaches towards organ harvesting, I would guess you would also see disagreements within the medical community.
For ex: I have a family member who is a devout practicing catholic. He is an accomplished cardiologist who, at times, has worked on organ donation procedures.
There are many people like him out there too, who would refuse to bend to pressure to commit immoral acts.
The doctors who perform these procedures usually enjoy good repuations, and are well respected. I doubt many of them would want the stigma of harvesting organs under suspicious circumstances.
But then again…I’m sure there would be many “bad eggs” out there too.
So yes…I agree we should be on the watch for immoral practices.
You should rent the movie “The Island”.
Very gruesome. But if you can handle some gore - the message is appropriate to this discussion.
Well…we also tend to forget that doctors are humans too and do not agree on these issues either.
If you saw a trend in immoral approaches towards organ harvesting, I would guess you would also see disagreements within the medical community.
For ex: I have a family member who is a devout practicing catholic. He is an accomplished cardiologist who, at times, has worked on organ donation procedures.
There are many people like him out there too, who would refuse to bend to pressure to commit immoral acts.
The doctors who perform these procedures usually enjoy good repuations, and are well respected. I doubt many of them would want the stigma of harvesting organs under suspicious circumstances.
But then again…I’m sure there would be many “bad eggs” out there too.
So yes…I agree we should be on the watch for immoral practices.
You should rent the movie “The Island”.
Very gruesome. But if you can handle some gore - the message is appropriate to this discussion.
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