Can Catholics Donate Organs?
Eternal Rest: The Art of Dying Well
•
5m 27s
If donating a vital organ is going to cause death or irreversible harm to the donor, it is morally illicit according to the natural moral law and Catholic social teaching.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “organ transplants are in conformity with the moral law if the physical and psychological dangers and risks incurred by the donor are proportionate to the good sought for the recipient” (CCC 2296). Donating organs after death is a noble, generous act, provided that the donor or those who have legitimate authority to speak on his or her behalf give explicit consent.
“A vital principle we need to begin with is that the human person must be treated as an end.”
For organ donation to be ethical, whether for a vital or non-vital organ, it must respect the human person as an end—never a means—and requires the donor’s full consent. Organ donation can be a beautiful act of charity if done in accordance with God’s will: informed consent is present and the donation does not cause irreversible damage or death to the donor.
Up Next in Eternal Rest: The Art of Dying Well
-
Why do People Fear Death?
It’s natural and appropriate for us to fear death, but by his victory on the Cross, Christ leads us from fear into the way of hope.
We naturally sense that death is a problem and understand intuitively that it’s not part of God’s original plan. We all possess a deep longing that corresponds to t...
-
How Do I Balance Caring For Someone E...
To care for another is a beautiful sacrifice, but it can also feel draining and exhausting. In order to care for others, we must first care for our own spiritual and physical needs so as to better serve those entrusted to us.
Caring for a loved one often requires physical, emotional, and spiritu...
-
What is a Trust?
A trust is commonly used to avoid probate and achieve more complicated outcomes than a will can accomplish.
When we establish a trust, we intend to give it ownership of our assets so that when we die, the trust lives on and probate is not triggered. To be successful, we must transfer our assets ...