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Many of us, perhaps in the midst of the euphoria of having the freedom that comes with being able to drive a car, probably thought very little of checking a box marking ourselves as an organ donor. Saving lives is a good thing, right? And we won’t miss our heart or lungs after we die. But recent events suggest that we should take much more care in making or sticking with this kind of decision. Medical, philosophical, and theological discussions about everything from the nature of death, to whether one needs to be dead to donate a non-paired vital organ, to the moral description of donating such an organ, are at this moment deeply contested. Furthermore, even if we can come up with strict procedures and standards, recent stories covered in the New York Times reveal patterns of abuse – with organ procurement teams cutting corners or in some cases ignoring them altogether. We have even seen arguments made by very public and respectable figures calling for new definitions of death in order to meet the need for organ donation. For Catholics with a particular focus on human dignity and moral coherence, and for anyone focused on a commitment to truth over lies when it comes to these matters, the question, “Should one be an organ donor?” is as live now as it has ever been.

Charles Camosy teaches moral theology and bioethics at the Catholic University of America. His work on ethics and policy aims to move beyond arguments which artificially pit liberals and conservatives against each other and instead find common ground by unpacking the real complexities of some of today’s most passionately debated issues. Camosy’s published works include Beyond the Abortion Wars: A Way Forward for a New Generation; Resisting Throwaway Culture: How a Consistent Life Ethic Can Unite a Fractured People; Bioethics for Nurses: A Christian Moral Vision; For Love of Animals: Christian Ethics, Consistent Action; and, most recently, Living and Dying Well: A Catholic Plan for Resisting Physician-Assisted Killing. Learn more about Camosy and his work at charlescamosy.com.