C
cho_pilo
Guest
If permitted, what particular case? Are their variables being considered when predicting longevity of donated organs? Is the survival rate being considered?
- Status
T
Totterman
Guest
Jesus,our Lords peace be whit You.
Yes,says the Church. If You need moore knowledge,Cateshism somewhere between 2250-2270,in the Finnish version.
Yes,says the Church. If You need moore knowledge,Cateshism somewhere between 2250-2270,in the Finnish version.
T
Tietjen
Guest
Last I heard, it was permitted.
L
LDNCatholic
Guest
As far as I know, it is permitted, but only if they don’t kill you to take the organs. I think I read somewhere that organ donation where you are still alive, and the removal of the organ would mean certain death, is not allowed.
Then again I may have misunderstood.
Then again I may have misunderstood.
S
Scoobyshme
Guest
Well, it’s a good idea, provided it’s still in good playing order, and it fits in the church. I’ve seen really big organs, with the pipes that go all the way to the ceiling! (LOL)
C
cjforJesus
Guest
Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitae, (n. 15), stated: “Nor can we remain silent in the face of other more furtive, but no less serious and real, forms of euthanasia. These could occur for example when, in order to increase the availability of organs for transplants, organs are removed without respecting objective and adequate criteria which verify the death of the donor.”
he also said:
Pope John Paul II to the Participants of the 1989 Pontifical Academy of Sciences stated: "The problem of the moment of death has serious implications at the practical level, and this aspect is also of great interest to the Church. In practice, there seems to arise a tragic dilemma. On the one hand there is the urgent need to find replacement organs for sick people who would otherwise die or at least would not recover. In other words, it is conceivable that in order to escape certain and imminent death a patient may need to receive an organ which could be provided by another patient, who may be lying next to him in hospital, but about whose death there still remains some doubt. Consequently, in the process there arises the danger of terminating a human life, of definitively disrupting the psychosomatic unity of a person. More precisely, there is a real possibility that the life whose continuation is made unsustainable by the removal of a vital organ may be that of a living person, whereas the respect due to human life absolutely prohibits the direct and positive sacrifice of that life, even though it may be for the benefit of another human being who might be felt to be entitled to preference."9
he also said:
Pope John Paul II to the Participants of the 1989 Pontifical Academy of Sciences stated: "The problem of the moment of death has serious implications at the practical level, and this aspect is also of great interest to the Church. In practice, there seems to arise a tragic dilemma. On the one hand there is the urgent need to find replacement organs for sick people who would otherwise die or at least would not recover. In other words, it is conceivable that in order to escape certain and imminent death a patient may need to receive an organ which could be provided by another patient, who may be lying next to him in hospital, but about whose death there still remains some doubt. Consequently, in the process there arises the danger of terminating a human life, of definitively disrupting the psychosomatic unity of a person. More precisely, there is a real possibility that the life whose continuation is made unsustainable by the removal of a vital organ may be that of a living person, whereas the respect due to human life absolutely prohibits the direct and positive sacrifice of that life, even though it may be for the benefit of another human being who might be felt to be entitled to preference."9
J
Joe_5859
Guest
Organ transplants are permitted adn even laudable provided they do not violate the dignity of the human person.
Here’s what it says in the Catechism:
[CCC 2296 (Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 3 SECTION 2 CHAPTER 2 ARTICLE 5) Organ transplants are in conformity with the moral law if the physical and psychological dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the good sought for the recipient. Organ donation after death is a noble and meritorious act and is to be encouraged as a expression of generous solidarity. It is not morally acceptable if the donor or his proxy has not given explicit consent. Moreover, it is not morally admissible to bring about the disabling mutilation or death of a human being, even in order to delay the death of other persons.
Here are some papal addresses that mention organ donation:
Here’s what it says in the Catechism:
[CCC 2296 (Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 3 SECTION 2 CHAPTER 2 ARTICLE 5) Organ transplants are in conformity with the moral law if the physical and psychological dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the good sought for the recipient. Organ donation after death is a noble and meritorious act and is to be encouraged as a expression of generous solidarity. It is not morally acceptable if the donor or his proxy has not given explicit consent. Moreover, it is not morally admissible to bring about the disabling mutilation or death of a human being, even in order to delay the death of other persons.
Here are some papal addresses that mention organ donation:
- Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to Participants at an International Congress Organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life (November 7, 2008)
- Letter of John Paul II to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (February 1, 2005)
- Address of the Holy Father John Paul II to the 18th International Congress of the Transplantation Society (August 29, 2000)
- Address of His Holiness John Paul II to Participants of the 1st International Congress of the Society for Organ Sharing (June 20, 1991)
B
braidwood
Guest
C
cjforJesus
Guest
It is helpful to remember, however, that the individual vital organs cannot be extracted except ex cadavere, which, moreover, possesses its own dignity that must be respected. In these years science has accomplished further progress in certifying the death of the patient. It is good, therefore, that the results attained receive the consent of the entire scientific community in order to further research for solutions that give certainty to all. In an area such as this, in fact, there cannot be the slightest suspicion of arbitration and where certainty has not been attained the principle of precaution must prevail. This is why it is useful to promote research and interdisciplinary reflection to place public opinion before the most transparent truth on the anthropological, social, ethical and juridical implications of the practice of transplantation. Pope Benedict XVI
C
cjforJesus
Guest
Organ donations are a great gift of love, as the church teaches. I would selflessly give my kidney or part of my liver to one in need.I donate blood fairly regularly,but harvesting living organs from donors who may still be alive poses a VERY serious ethical problem.
I think Pope Benedict recognizes that as well as the potential for abuse.
Brain death is the established criteria,but is it always accurate or diagnosed in a uniform acceptable way?
I think Pope Benedict recognizes that as well as the potential for abuse.
Brain death is the established criteria,but is it always accurate or diagnosed in a uniform acceptable way?
C
cho_pilo
Guest
In short, if I read most of the posts correctly, there is nothing immoral in prolonging one’s life.
C
cho_pilo
Guest
Thank you for the responses. Let me pose an specific case. People suffer terribly while waiting on dialysis for a kidney transplant, and thousands die waiting. Because only a tiny percentage of people die in circumstances which allow a kidney to be used for transplant, cadaver-source kidneys can never meet the demand for replacement organs. A healthy person can donate one kidney with no damage to health or reduction of life expectancy, but few people are generous enough to donate a kidney for free. To reduce the terrible human suffering and high death rate in the dialysis population, some have proposed that we permit a government regulated kidney market to operate, in which healthy donors would be allowed to give one kidney for a set price to someone with no kidneys.
However, such a market would now be illegal in almost the entire world. There are people in our country (Philippines) who are selling their kidneys for money. I’m not sure if we have a law that prohibit such act. Kidney market would exploit poor people by inducing them to sell a kidney for money, but in a bargain which would logically have to be to their disadvantage, even though they voluntarily elected to make it and it would have no significant negative effects on their health. It seems to me that rather than exploiting poor people, such a market would provide an empowering option to poor people to escape their poverty by a new means which is now inaccessible to them.
What’s the Church stance on this particular case?
However, such a market would now be illegal in almost the entire world. There are people in our country (Philippines) who are selling their kidneys for money. I’m not sure if we have a law that prohibit such act. Kidney market would exploit poor people by inducing them to sell a kidney for money, but in a bargain which would logically have to be to their disadvantage, even though they voluntarily elected to make it and it would have no significant negative effects on their health. It seems to me that rather than exploiting poor people, such a market would provide an empowering option to poor people to escape their poverty by a new means which is now inaccessible to them.
What’s the Church stance on this particular case?
C
Corki
Guest
The Church does not make pronouncements on every specific medical procedure.
In your example, I don’t think there is anything that would prohibit a person from donating a kidney (or for that matter a portion of his/her liver, portion of a lung, bone marrow, blood platelets, skin, etc.). The key is that it is done freely and not coerced. The fact that there might be some compensation doesn’t really change things. It is already common to “sell” blood products and skin for donation. If this was used to exploit the poor or another disadvantaged group (such as prisoners, which has sometimes been proposed), the exploitation would, of course, be sinful.
Just because something has the potential to be abused, it isn’t automatically wrong.
In your example, I don’t think there is anything that would prohibit a person from donating a kidney (or for that matter a portion of his/her liver, portion of a lung, bone marrow, blood platelets, skin, etc.). The key is that it is done freely and not coerced. The fact that there might be some compensation doesn’t really change things. It is already common to “sell” blood products and skin for donation. If this was used to exploit the poor or another disadvantaged group (such as prisoners, which has sometimes been proposed), the exploitation would, of course, be sinful.
Just because something has the potential to be abused, it isn’t automatically wrong.
J
Joe_5859
Guest
As far as I know, the Church has not commented specifically on whether or not it is ethical to sell one’s organs. So there is probably room for differing opinions on the subject, provided they do not contradict the Church’s moral teachings on the dignity of the human person.
I can see a lot of potential problems with it. It is truly sad that someone would ever be in such a situation that they felt selling a kidney was their only hope for escaping poverty. In those cases, I would have serious doubts as to whether selling a body part would offer any lasting change to their situation.
Increasing the number of available kidneys would be an obvious benefit, though.
I can see the Church offering some guidance in this area eventually, especially if more and more countries start considering it. But I don’t believe there’s anything out there at the moment.
J
JimG
Guest
Donations of an organ, wherein the donation does not kill the donor, such as the donation of one kidney, are allowable.
It is also permissible to donate organs after death. The dispute arises in determining when the donor has died. Is he already dead, or will he die because of the organ donation?
It is also permissible to donate organs after death. The dispute arises in determining when the donor has died. Is he already dead, or will he die because of the organ donation?
- Status