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When it comes to organ donation everyone has their own ideas of what is right and wrong, even the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church celebrates life and believes that the greatest gift one person can give to another is the gift of organ and tissue donation. This is a gift of life because when one person is dying, or has died, many of their organs and tissues are still capable of living on in someone else. So, making the decision to share one’s organ and tissues with others in need is truly an amazing act and one the Catholic Church condones and even promotes.
It is an organ donation fact that there is a greater need for organs and tissues than there is a supply. This results in long lists of individuals waiting for a donor, just waiting to see if someone will give them the gift of life. Too many people have a negative perspective or organ donation and lots of myths abound regarding this topic. However, organ donation is perhaps the biggest impact any one of us can have on another human being and choosing this route is love for our fellow man in its purest form. Even His Holiness believes that organ donation is “a genuine act of love.”
If one is unsure of the morality or ethics behind organ donation they need only look to Christ, who gave his only Son to save humanity. So, we may mimic Christ’s actions by giving our organs and tissues to those who need them when we have passed on and have no further need for them. In fact, donating organs is considered an act of charity by the Catholic Church. Any Catholic unsure of the permissibility of organ donation in regards to his religion need only look to Directive 30 in the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. This Directive states that transplanting organs is morally permissible as long as the donation does not impair or sacrifice any bodily function for a living donor. Other directives discuss organ donation as well and all are in favor of the practice.
Those who die can truly give the ultimate gift of life to others who are ill and suffering simply by donating their tissues and organs. As long as the donation is given in a morally acceptable manner then the Catholic Church supports the donation of tissues and organs.