Organ donation is, indeed, a holy and noble act

Organ donation is, indeed, a holy and noble act

November 29, 2008

Q: Recently, I received information from an organization asking me to consider donating my organs after death. Although this sounds very noble, I'm not sure about this matter. Any advice?

M., Buffalo, N.Y.,

via handwritten letter)

A: I've been a huge advocate of organ donation since the late '60s when it first became medically possible due to the discovery of anti-rejection drugs that helped the body accept implanted organs. Since then, thousands of people who faced certain death have been given new life because of the compassion of organ donors. These donors fall into two groups, and the moral considerations vary greatly depending on which group you're in.

First, there are cadaveric donations -- organs given by instruction from those who've just died. Making such a donation is both an easy decision and a noble one. Obviously, the organs are not taken from your body until you're absolutely, positively dead, which means that your brain is dead. Some organs, like kidneys, hearts, lungs and livers, need to be transplanted immediately because they deteriorate quickly. Other donations, like skin (for burn victims) and corneas (for glaucoma victims), can be taken up to a few days after death.

I can't see any possible objection to cadaveric donations. All religious traditions approve of such donations and consider them to be holy acts. In fact, even the strict orthodox Jewish objection to autopsies and cutting a dead person are waived if the act can save a life.

I think that the objections people have to making their will known about organ donation comes from our natural aversion to talking about death. However, if your death can bring new life to one of the thousands of people waiting for donated organs, why would you not gladly allow this to happen?

You will need to make your decision known about this matter. Unfortunately, just checking the ''Yes, I want to be an organ donor'' box on the back of your driver's license is not enough. All surviving family members would still need to sign off on the plan unless you've executed a durable health care proxy or a living will. Check with your lawyer, priest, rabbi, imam, and doctor.

The second group of donors are living people who donate organs -- usually a kidney or a part of a liver -- to people in renal failure who has no working kidneys. This involves is a totally different moral calculation. Although you can live with one kidney, this obviously puts you at greater risk. Most such donations come from family members hoping to save the life of a relative.

Let me make this clear: I do not believe you have a moral obligation to donate an organ while you're alive. This would be an act of enormous benevolence, but such kindness cannot be compelled. It must be an act of free will, and no person should feel compelled to do it.

Organ donation after your death is a completely different matter. At that time, benevolence requires no sacrifice. It does require the courage to make plans in advance. I hope you can embrace the nobility of organ donation after death. God bless you.

Q: I was born and raised Catholic. I married out of my faith and our children were not raised Catholic. However, I didn't change my faith or my beliefs. Although I haven't been a practicing Catholic, I would like to redeem myself in the eyes of the Lord.

My husband and I have been married for 53 years. In making my pre-funeral arrangements, what are my rights as far as having a clergyman (priest, pastor) present and planning a religious ceremony? I'm not up to date on excommunication procedures and don't know where to start.

D., via godsquadquestion@

aol.com

A: I hope you are well and that your letter does not conceal a serious illness. If so, I would first suggest that next Saturday night you try going to a movie rather than planning your funeral, which, I pray, will be at least 50 years away. If you can't find any good movies out and you still want to talk about your demise, here are some tips based on consulting my priestly advisors:

First off, you're still a ''kosher'' Catholic. Although you haven't been practicing your faith, you're not going to be excommunicated and your husband could be buried near you. You could also call a priest to perform what used to be called extreme unction but is now deemed the anointing of the sick. (This blessing can, in fact, be offered to you more than once.) The second form of the anointing of the sick is done only when a person is near death.

My personal suggestion is that if you intend to reconcile yourself with the Catholic Church, you should talk things over with your local priest now. It seems to me that you'd want not just a priest to anoint you when you're near death but a priest who also knows you and can offer both the consolations of your faith and the blessings of a spiritual friend.

Send questions to The God Squad, c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207, or email them to godsquadquestion@aol.com.

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