Church teaching is often difficult to digest for those unfamiliar with its nuances. In particular, teachings related to IVF are seen as insensitive to those who were conceived and born as a result of the process. In this article, Rev. Kizewski explains the difference between primary and secondary causality, as well as defective choices and their results. In short, Catholic teaching on the illicit nature of the processes involved in IVF should in no way be taken as a condemnation of individuals conceived during those processes.

In this article, John Brehany continues his discussion of both the history of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services and what future revisions might be needed. This article focuses on Part 4, the largest section of the ERDs. Part 4 addresses ethical issues related to respect for human life, fertility, assisted reproduction, surrogacy, prenatal testing, and genetic counseling.

The principle of a preferential option for the poor is an oft misunderstood Catholic teaching, in part because it is rarely explored beyond casual invocation. In this article, Christopher Reilly explores this principle as it pertains to Bioethics. In order to clarify the concept, this article puts forth nine points to follow in order to effectively implement this principle.

Brain death is a contentious subject, especially in the area of Catholic bioethics. Answering the question of when an individual is truly dead has a wide application in the field of medicine, particularly when determining when it is licit to begin the process of organ transplantation. Global Ischemic Penumbra raises an additional issue in that it closely mimics brain death, but is not in fact a terminal condition.

Recent years have seen a near exponential expansion of the acceptance of gender as a mutable aspect of the human experience, rather than as an essential property of the human individual. In this article, Pizzo explores this move and the assertions of those who espouse it. In addition, he makes the case that this move is part of a fundamental misunderstanding of human sexuality and the nature of gender in human society.

The question of when life begins is well established in the field of embryology. However, modern philosophy has given rise to the question of when a living human organism is, in fact, human. With serious ramifications in the issue of abortion, establishing the humanity of a growing human organism is still a contentious issue. Dias details the course of development of the human organism, giving compelling evidence that from the beginning of life the human organism is the same unique human being and should be given the rights appropriate to a human person.

Acceptance of Physician-Assisted Suicide has been on the rise, especially in recent years. However, it is the position of the Catholic church that this practice denies the inherent dignity of all human beings from the point of conception to natural death. The Art of Dying, a classic Catholic text recently translated into English, provides a more compassionate, faithful, and dignified approach to end-of-life care that recognizes the rights of the dying, as well as their loved ones, while remaining faithful to the teachings of the Church.

The ethical teachings of the Catholic church are often difficult to accept and understand, particularly for those with limited education in Catholic theology. Further, especially for in school or parochial situations, there is often little time to explain these positions deeply. In this essay, Cara Buskmiller, MD, proposes a simple way of quickly explaining different teachings using the concept of adding to or subtracting from the beauty of God’s plans for us.

In Vitro fertilization (IVF) is considered objectively immoral by the Catholic Church. However, there are several alternatives that have not been specifically addressed by the Church. This article discusses several of these alternatives and examines their viability from a moral standpoint. This is done with specific attention to fertility efforts used following uterus transplantation (UTx).

This article is taken from a letter written by Dr. Joseph Meaney, president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center regarding the fiftieth anniversary of the Center’s founding. It discusses several issues in medical and scientific advancement, as well as their moral implications.

The human person is both biological and transcendent, and it is necessary to see this reality to respect and protect all human beings. The inviolable dignity of every human being from fertilization until death is key to building a bridge between disparate philosophies of human nature. In this article, Andrew St. Stephanos proposes a starting point for building an understanding between rival philosophical factions by first understanding the nature of Man.

This article is fourth in a series on the Ethical and Religious Directives, examining their formation, structure, and potential revisions to the directives. Part three, “The Professional—Patient Relationship,” is the focus of this installment. It covers directives specific to caring for individuals, as well as new issues that have arisen since the last major revision of the directives. This article gives valuable insight on both the past and potential future of the ERDs.

The creeping expansion of euthanasia around the world, but especially in the West, is a concern for any moral theologian. This expansion has already reached beyond the elderly into younger and objectively healthier groups, including children. The stance of the Catholic Church is that euthanasia is never permissible and must combat philosophies and laws that support it as fervently as possible.

Dying today looks dramatically different than it did a century ago, largely due to wider treatment options and more specialized medical practices. Often missing from these advancements is the focus on factors relative to a patient’s total circumstances. Especially in light of the recent pandemic, it is incumbent upon Catholic health care providers to treat who whole person rather than simply focus on more utilitarian philosophies of care.

Palliative care and hospice, while distinct programs, are quite often given to the same individuals. The complexities of achieving goal-oriented care often lead to utilitarian ethics in health care, particularly as societal respect for human life and dignity weakens. This article examines these complexities with a particular emphasis on ensuring personalized care from physicians who know the goals of the patient.

This article is the third part in an examination of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Facilities. This installment explores the second section of the most recent edition of the ERDs, discussing what changes were made and why. It also discusses how the ERDs might change in the next edition and what issues will need to be addressed, as well as the best structure in which to present them.

Gain of function research is a little known and controversial area of study in virology. Though there is some disagreement in the exact definition of gain of function, the process involves modifying animal viruses to infect human cells for the purposes of advancing the understanding of the way viruses mutate. This article examines the controversy, with particular consideration of the COVID-19 lab leak hypothesis, exploring the danger of creating such modified viruses.

This article is the second part in an examination of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Facilities. This installment explores the first section of the most recent edition of the ERDs, discussing what changes were made and why. It also discusses how the ERDs might change in the next edition and what issues will need to be addressed, as well as the best structure in which to present them.

Since their inception in 1948, The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) have guided Catholic health care ministries in the United States, aiding in the application of Catholic moral tradition to modern health care delivery. The ERDs have undergone two major revisions in that time, with about twenty years separating each revision. The first came in 1971 and the second came twenty-six years ago, in 1995. As such, a third major revision is due and will likely be undertaken soon.

Ulpian was an influential name in the history of Roman law and beyond. His definition of Natural Law, while a source of some controversy in the thirteenth century, greatly influenced St. Thomas Aquinas’s own definition. This paper explores that influence, its origins, and its implications in Aquinas’s most famous writings.