Catholic Health Care Ethics Ch 1 and 2

1. Catholic Health Care Ethics

2. Chapter 1 The Human person and the
Church’s Teaching Authority
 A. Life is a Gift from God.
 “God created man in his image; in the
divine image He created him; male and
female he created them.” Gen1:27
 This fact of our divine image is what
makes us different from the plants and
animals.
 Humans are gifted with Intellect and Will

3.  Life is a gift – received from another.
Parents are intermediate causes, not
ultimate cause.
 Soul is created by God for eternity, not
the parents. Soul created out of nothing,
it is what we are.
 This soul – spirit within us gives us all the
dignity and value

4.  The soul “The inherent dignity and
sacredness of human life, rests the
principle of medical ethics and morals.
That is the reason humans are treated
different from animals.” pg 4
 Humans owe to each respect and dignity
due to the fact that we are gift and
endowed with spiritual life.

5. B. The Body - Soul Unity of the Human
Person
 The human person is not body taken by
itself, nor is it soul taken by itself. It is
body and soul together as one.
 Too much emphasis on either one leads
to a neglect of the other realm of
humanity.
 At death the soul departs and what is left
was a human and is not now human
because it lacks the soul which gave it life.

6.  Although the soul exists for a time by
itself upon death, it will be reunited with
the body upon the final resurrection.
Such is the teaching of the Catholic
Church.

7. C. Teaching Authority of the Church.
 How do we know what is right and
wrong?
 We could look to ourselves, and indeed
we must form our conscience but in all
endeavors we look to the experts.
 Jesus left a Church, the 12 apostles and
said “ What you bind on earth is bound in
heaven, what you loosed on earth is
loosed in heaven”

8.  The First Pope was Peter, since then a
line of 263 Popes have been anointed
representing a direct line back to Jesus.
 Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit. I will
leave you the Paraclete, who will teach
you all things. This is the basis for the
teaching authority of the Catholic Church
 Its important to remember that the truth
doesn’t just rely on authority of the being
the successors of Christ, neither on the

9.  However, the Church relies on right reason that
corresponds to the dignity of the human person, and to
human nature.
 Modern Popes have had to take on the issues of
modern times.
 Paul VI Human Vitae
 John Paul II – Redemptor Hominis
 “While technology is good in making human life more
secure and enjoyable, it has to submit to the judgment
of ethics”

10.  Before making major pronouncements
the Church consults theologians, priests
and the laity.
 Dissent has sometimes occurred on
issues. This has many times caused
confusion.

11.  Before making major pronouncements
the Church consults theologians, priests
and the laity.
 Dissent has sometimes occurred on
issues. This has many times caused
confusion.

12. Chapter 2 The Moral Fonts of Action and
Decision Making
 A. Human Nature the Basis of Morality
 As stated in Chapter 1 our spiritual soul
nature is what gives us dignity.
 But our soul is made up of two faculties:
Intellect and Will.
 Intellect is the ability to know and
understand what we are going to do.
 Will – chooses and elects what we are
doing because it is good.

13.  Our intellect and will give a moral
dimension to our acts. This is opposed to
involuntary acts like walking or sneezing
which do not require Intellect and Will.
 Every human act is done as an agent of
good. Examples…
 Every human because they have intellect
and will can ask, is what I am doing really
a good act?

14.  This dialogue in the mind prior to choice
of an act is the moral dialogue.
 As regards issue of human well being,
there are no morally neutral actions.

15. B. Structure of the Moral Act
 The Structure consists of three aspects:
The object, the intention and the
circumstances.
 The Object of the Act: the specific kind
of action or behavior chosen. What is
being done? Ex.
 The Intention: The meaning or goal
behind the actions. The intention answers
the question “Why is this being done?”

16.  Circumstances = the manner in which the
act is carried out: Time, place,
instruments being use.
 The Church takes into account all three
aspects of an act when making a moral
judgment.
 If any one of these acts is defective the
act could be considered immoral. The
Morality of an act is not always black and
white. It is complex.

17. C.The Process of Making a Moral Decision.
Deliberation; not too fast, not too slow if the
circumstances require it. Deliberation about the means,
and the nature of the object as well as circumstances.
Judgment: Bring the deliberation to a close.
A Choice is made, which eliminates other choice.
Choice depends upon the deliberation or reason. The
better the reasoning, the better choice is made.

18. Chapter 3H Natural Law

Natural Law - in simple terms the use of reason to
determine right and wrong of an action. To do good,
avoid evil.

Historical

Moral Relativism – Every one chooses their own
morality. Really?

Objectivity of Natural Law – Life is sacred, has
dignity and must be respected.

19. 
Morality is a matter of Choice – not fact. – moral
relativism once again.

Natural Law – Saving one's life is good, disease is a
corruption. (pg 36) Simple common sense.

Natural Law – asks the question what is the end?
What is the goal?

At times there are a conflict of good ends, makes for
complicated cases.

20. A. Universality of Natural Law

“Natural law morality is universal because it is
applicable to all rational beings and therefore binding
at all times and places.” Pg 37 CHCE

Based on the Dignity of human nature.

Lack of compliance does not mean non existence.

Universality does not mean lack of change in the
understanding of the law.

21. B. Natural Law and Medicine

Natural Law has an end the procurement of health.
Medicine the means to attain it.

Any means used in medicine that does not procure
good health is immoral. Ex. Technology.

Natural Law is based on reason and the dignity of
the human person. Not religious directives although
they agree with the natural law. Can be followed by
all men of good will

22. Virtue in Bioethics

Following the Law – Following the spirit of the law.

The spirit follows the law of Justice, Patience,
kindness, Charity