morality cases

7/30/2019 Morality Cases

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Case #1

Judy, a Catholic with threechildren, is six weekspregnant and is experiencingsome problems. After her

convulsions have beencontrolled and her bloodpressure has been stabilized,she is informed that an

emergency caesareandelivery is necessary to treather condition. The fetus willcertainly not survive thedelivery.


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Judy would like to saveher child, but she faces

a potentially fatalpregnancy complicationif she does not have thecaesarian delivery.

Delaying the deliverycan have adverse effectson Judy.

Case #A


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Case #A

The logical step seemsto be to proceed with

the caesarian operation

that will result in anabortion.

Would you agree ordisagree? Why?


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Case #A

1. In this particular caseinvolving Judy, wouldabortion be considered

sinful and prohibited bythe Church? Why?

2. Is the act of abortionin general right, neutral,or wrong? Why?


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DIRECT or INDIRECT ABORTION

A direct abortion is a deliberate action intended toexpel a live embryo or a live but non-viable fetus.Direct abortion is condemned by the Church as anintrinsic evil.

An indirect abortion is the undesired butunavoidable expulsion of a live embryo or a live butinviable fetus, as a result of a necessary treatment of a

gravely pathological condition of the mother, usuallyin the reproductive system (such as cancer of theuterus in pregnancy). The Church considers indirectabortion as ethically acceptable.


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For the Catholic Church, humanlife begins upon fertilization.

Sanctity of Life :Life is a sacred gift from God.

We dont have the right to

terminate it. When does human life begin?


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What do you

think?

When does human life begin?


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3ROADS

Caution

Suspicion

ReasonASSENT or DISSENT

to the Church?

BLIND or REASONED?


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Case #3Ever since she cameout of her coma foralmost a year, Rosariohas been in apersistent vegetativestate (PVS) and has

been subsisting onlythrough artificialfeeding andhydration.


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Case #3

The family feels it can nolonger afford to continueand is asking you about

terminating the artificialfeeding and hydration,

which will eventually result

in the death of Rosario.



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Case #3

1. In this particular caseinvolving Rosario,would terminating the

artificial hydration/feeding be consideredsinful and prohibited bythe Church? Why?

2. Is this act in generalright, neutral, or wrong?

Why?


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Not a medical act BUT one that is part of normal carethat must be given to everyone.

Artificial Feeding and Hydration

Withdrawing or Withholdingof Life-Support Systems

What are the benefits and harms to the individual,family and community in terms of:

- Degree of complexity and risk

- Physical and moral resources- Inflicted pain on patient- Foreseen results

Is the cost proportionate or disproportionate?


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For the Catholic Church, as long as there is a livingbody, even if mental and physical capacities arereduced or absent, there is still a person presentwho deserves to be treated with respect and care.

Dignity of the

Human Person :Every person should be treatedwith dignity because we are all

created in the image of God.When does one stop being human?


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What do you

think?

When does one stop being human?


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3ROADS

Caution

Suspicion


to the Church?

BLIND or REASONED?


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Wrestling with human cloning

Goto

TURNING

STONES

As children, Ruth, Kathy and Tommy,

spend their childhood at a seeminglyidyllic English boarding school. As theygrow into young adults, they find thatthey have to come to terms with thestrength of the love they feel for each

other, while preparing themselves forthe haunting reality that awaits them.(IMDb)


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Human Cloning

1. In this particular casehuman cloning be

considered sinful andprohibited by theChurch? Why?

2. Is this act in generalbe right, neutral, orwrong? Why?


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Every person, regardless of how s/he may havebeen conceived/born, will have to be consideredhuman.

Dignity of the

Human Person :Every person should be treatedwith dignity because we are all

created in the image of God.

Who may not be considered human?


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What do you

think?

Who may not be considered human?


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3ROADS

Caution

Suspicion


to the Church?

BLIND or REASONED?


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What did

you learnTODAY?


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Case #C

After a ten-year marriage,Brad and Angelina Perezremain childless. Theyveadopted every possible

child from every possiblenation, but they still decidethat they want a child oftheir own. They see a

specialist who examinesthem and finds out thatBrad is not capable ofbecoming a father.


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Case #C

Because of this, Bradand Angelina are

considering artificialinsemination so thatthey can conceive achild that is truly their

own.


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Case #CBrad and Angelina has

approached you for advice

about giving artificialinsemination a try.



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TRANSMISSION OF LIFE BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS

By a donor outside of Marriage:Prohibited by the Church

By the husband: Allowed butonly on the conditionthat artificial insemination follows normal sexualintercourse, and consists basically in helping the

sperm reach the ovum so that it can fertilize the latter(by the use of a syringe, or cervical spoon, or bymethods of concentrating sperm density of the semenemitted during intercourse).

Artificial


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IVF refers to the fertilization by a sperm cell in a laboratoryof an ovum extracted surgically from a woman.

ALL instances of IVF considered morally unacceptable bythe Church--even with an ovum from the wife and spermfrom the husband because they separate the transmissionof life from the conjugal act.

The disposal or freezing of excess fertilized embryoresulting from IVF procedures: also prohibited by theChurch because it violates the dignity and sanctity of life ofhuman embryos

In Vitro Fertilization & Embryo Transfer

TRANSMISSION OF LIFE BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS


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Every act of procreation should involvesexual intercourse between husband andwife.

The bond between the unitive and

procreative meanings of the conjugal actGod has designed marital love to beboth an expression of love and themeans for procreation.

Is it properly human toprocreate without sex?


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What do you

think?

Is it properly human toprocreate without sex?


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3ROADSCaution

Suspicion


to the Church?

BLIND or REASONED?


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(1) Appreciate theAMBIGUITY & COMPLEXITYof moral situations.

(2) Clarify your answer tothe ESSENTIAL QUESTIONSabout the valuesunderlying the dilemmas.

(3) Understand the reasonsand values behind the

CATHOLIC MORALPRINCIPLES.

When we engage inMORAL REASONING:

(4) Inform and follow yourCONSCIENCE in makinga reasoned ASSENT.

(5) If you must DISSENT,make sure youve gonethrough not only theRoad of Reason, but alsothe Roads of Cautionand Suspicion.


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Every opportunity youhave in engaging inmoral reasoning withyour patient is aDEFINING MOMENT.

When we face moraldecisions, we defineourselves as persons.


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Our moral decisions shape

who we are.

Exercise

moralresponsibility.

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