M
MysticMissMisty
Guest
Salvete, omnes!
What position does the Catholic Church take on two disabled people getting married? When I say “disabled people”, I mean two people who are congenitally (from birth) disabled and may pass their disabilities on to their children. Indeed, the issue for me comes, in fact, down to children.
Since sex is such a key part of marriage, and since birth control is prohibited, should two disabled people marry? If they marry and decide not to have biological children because of the likelihood, more or less, of passing on their disabilities down to their children and decide, therefore, to adopt, would the Church still permit their marriage since the urge to have sex might be quite strong and since, again, sex is such a key part of marriage and these two people would have chosen to abstain?
Indeed, if two disabled people are permitted to marry in the Church, should they indeed abstain from sex, again, due to the possibility of producing disabled children and since birth control is prohibited (at least generally)? Would the marriage still be valid, whether or not they adopted? If they did choose to have biological children, would that not be violating the rights of the children not to have a disability like their parents, expecially if the parents knew that it was quite likely that they would pass on their disability to their children? On the other hand, should not the parents have the right, if they love each other and wish to have biological children, to have sex with one another and children of their own? Is such not the natural right of all people?
What brought all these questions to mind is Pope Francis’ apparent statement that birth control would be permitted in cases where the parents feared their children would suffer ill-effects from the Zika virus. This indeed has implications for People with Disabilities who wish to marry and have children of their own. Is Pope Francis and/or the Church saying that birth control should be used in cases where a disability generally is likely to be passed from parents to children, in any case? Is Pope Francis and/or the Church saying that two congenitally disabled parents should not/do not have the right to have children who may likely be disabled?
As I understand it, current Church teaching states that the rights of the parents end when a child comes into being and that the rights of the child should then be considered as superior at all times? Do I understand this correctly? If I do, then, it would seem that two disabled parents whose disability would be passed on to the child should not have a child of their own, and, possibly, for the reasons I stated above, should not even marry.
My thought on the matter, as a disabled person myself who has had relationships with other disabled people, however, is that the child may, in fact, wish to exist, even though he/she has a disability. Even though they have a disability, they may still wish to enjoy what parts of life they can even with that disability, so that they should not be denied that right. Thoughts on this?
How is allowing a child to be born with a disability different from allowing abortion? After all, the rights of the child are still here at issue, are they not, in either case? My argument, in the eyes of the Church, about the child potentially desiring to live regardless, likely would not then stand, since, before a child is produced, the child’s rights to exist are not to be considered but, rather, the parents, rights are to be considered.
I think it is a fine line to walk between the rights of the parents and the rights of the children, again, especially since Pope Francis’ recent comments concerning Zika, which, I assume were directed both at the parents and the children(?).
Don’t get me wrong. I am not at all advocating forced sterilization (or should we, since the Church wishes by law that abortion be illegal?), since the decision is in any case ultimately up to the parents. I am only asking about the morality of the issue and what God/the Church would/should advocate.
Perhaps the Church has not officially taught on this? If so, I would be interested in your opinions on this subject.
As far as two disabled people marrying, it should be considered, I think, that it might be to their benefit in that, especially if they have a similar disability, that they could share int he solidarity and support of that disability experience. They might not otherwise get this experience with an able-bodied (non-congenitally disabled) person, though I suppose one could argue that the partner could be later-disabled and still share similar experiences, though, this might not even be the case in all situations. Still, in this instance, should we, then, deny them the right to marry because of the issue with having children? Indeed, it would seem that two disabled people would be able to relate better to one another concerning their experiences than a disabled person with an able-bodied person.
Gratias multas.
What position does the Catholic Church take on two disabled people getting married? When I say “disabled people”, I mean two people who are congenitally (from birth) disabled and may pass their disabilities on to their children. Indeed, the issue for me comes, in fact, down to children.
Since sex is such a key part of marriage, and since birth control is prohibited, should two disabled people marry? If they marry and decide not to have biological children because of the likelihood, more or less, of passing on their disabilities down to their children and decide, therefore, to adopt, would the Church still permit their marriage since the urge to have sex might be quite strong and since, again, sex is such a key part of marriage and these two people would have chosen to abstain?
Indeed, if two disabled people are permitted to marry in the Church, should they indeed abstain from sex, again, due to the possibility of producing disabled children and since birth control is prohibited (at least generally)? Would the marriage still be valid, whether or not they adopted? If they did choose to have biological children, would that not be violating the rights of the children not to have a disability like their parents, expecially if the parents knew that it was quite likely that they would pass on their disability to their children? On the other hand, should not the parents have the right, if they love each other and wish to have biological children, to have sex with one another and children of their own? Is such not the natural right of all people?
What brought all these questions to mind is Pope Francis’ apparent statement that birth control would be permitted in cases where the parents feared their children would suffer ill-effects from the Zika virus. This indeed has implications for People with Disabilities who wish to marry and have children of their own. Is Pope Francis and/or the Church saying that birth control should be used in cases where a disability generally is likely to be passed from parents to children, in any case? Is Pope Francis and/or the Church saying that two congenitally disabled parents should not/do not have the right to have children who may likely be disabled?
As I understand it, current Church teaching states that the rights of the parents end when a child comes into being and that the rights of the child should then be considered as superior at all times? Do I understand this correctly? If I do, then, it would seem that two disabled parents whose disability would be passed on to the child should not have a child of their own, and, possibly, for the reasons I stated above, should not even marry.
My thought on the matter, as a disabled person myself who has had relationships with other disabled people, however, is that the child may, in fact, wish to exist, even though he/she has a disability. Even though they have a disability, they may still wish to enjoy what parts of life they can even with that disability, so that they should not be denied that right. Thoughts on this?
How is allowing a child to be born with a disability different from allowing abortion? After all, the rights of the child are still here at issue, are they not, in either case? My argument, in the eyes of the Church, about the child potentially desiring to live regardless, likely would not then stand, since, before a child is produced, the child’s rights to exist are not to be considered but, rather, the parents, rights are to be considered.
I think it is a fine line to walk between the rights of the parents and the rights of the children, again, especially since Pope Francis’ recent comments concerning Zika, which, I assume were directed both at the parents and the children(?).
Don’t get me wrong. I am not at all advocating forced sterilization (or should we, since the Church wishes by law that abortion be illegal?), since the decision is in any case ultimately up to the parents. I am only asking about the morality of the issue and what God/the Church would/should advocate.
Perhaps the Church has not officially taught on this? If so, I would be interested in your opinions on this subject.
As far as two disabled people marrying, it should be considered, I think, that it might be to their benefit in that, especially if they have a similar disability, that they could share int he solidarity and support of that disability experience. They might not otherwise get this experience with an able-bodied (non-congenitally disabled) person, though I suppose one could argue that the partner could be later-disabled and still share similar experiences, though, this might not even be the case in all situations. Still, in this instance, should we, then, deny them the right to marry because of the issue with having children? Indeed, it would seem that two disabled people would be able to relate better to one another concerning their experiences than a disabled person with an able-bodied person.
Gratias multas.
