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EXCLUSIVE Interview with Joseph Seifert: Ratzinger Did Not Agree to Organ Donor Bann: Why? Why Did Cardinal Ratzinger Not Agree? – Gloria.tv - Interview with Josef Seifert At a Friday conference in …More
EXCLUSIVE Interview with Joseph Seifert: Ratzinger Did Not Agree to Organ Donor Bann: Why?

Why Did Cardinal Ratzinger Not Agree? – Gloria.tv - Interview with Josef Seifert

At a Friday conference in Vienna, Austria, the famous philosopher Josef Seifert and the medical doctor Doyen Nguyen put in doubt that a so-called "brain death" represents the real death of a person. The two stated that the brain-death theory was only a pragmatic definition that served to morally and legally legitimize the removal of organs from a living person.

John Paul II: Confused Statements

Seifert and Nguyen said that the Church’s Magisterium never made a statement about the brain-death theory. But in 2000 John Paul II entered a slippery slope when addressing the International Congress of the Transplantation Society. He accepted the brain-death theory without using its name, but asked that all brain activities of the organ donor must have irreversibly ceased, a condition that is unaccomplishable. After that Catholic institutions such as the American "National Catholic Bioethics Center" stated that the Church now accepts the brain-death theory. John Paul II never contradicted them.

John Paul II Ignored Essential Literature

Nguyen notes that for his 2000 statement John Paul II ignored all existing critical literature on the brain death concept. She does not understand why John Paul II never withdrew his controversial declaration.

Francis’ Friend and Curial Bishop Sorondo "Not Good"

Both, Seifert and Nguyen, criticize the Pontifical Academy of Sciences which propagates the brain-death theory. According to Nguyen, there are good people in the Academy, but also those who -quote - "are not good". Among the latter, Nguyen names the chancellor of the Academy, Argentina-born Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo.

Vatican Zig-Zag Strategy

Seifert adds that, in addition to the "Pontifical Academy of Sciences", also the "Pontifical Academy for Life," accepts the brain-death theory. Seifert himself was a member of this Academy. According to him even Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, who is reliable in other bioethical questions, supported it. Seifert recounts that at conferences, the Academy for Life always used to invite representatives of both camps and avoided taking a clear position.

Ratzinger Is "Not a Resolute Person"

Seifert speaks about an encounter with then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Ratzinger said to Seifert that the German philosopher Robert Spaemann had asked that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith publish a document against the brain-death theory. Ratzinger did not follow up on this advice and did not let Seifert know why. Seifert believes that Ratzinger was personally critical of the brain-death concept, but was not "resolved" enough to express his view to the outside. But Seifert’s explanation is unlikely since Ratzinger has been carrying an organ-donor card since the 1970s.
Dr Bobus
Nguyen is pronounced WIN.
Holy Cannoli
Vatican Zig-Zag Strategy
They don’t agree. The medical community doesn’t agree . So, who knows? 😲
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The “brain death” controversy has caused divisions not only within secular academia but also among Catholics, including the ordained, especially those holding high ecclesiastical offices. 🙄
As a group, Catholics opposing …More
Vatican Zig-Zag Strategy

They don’t agree. The medical community doesn’t agree . So, who knows? 😲
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The “brain death” controversy has caused divisions not only within secular academia but also among Catholics, including the ordained, especially those holding high ecclesiastical offices. 🙄

As a group, Catholics opposing the “brain death” paradigm are in the minority. In contrast, not a few Catholics supporters of “brain death” occupy prominent positions in the Church, such that their publications, coming from a level of authority, give the impression that the “brain death” standard has been “given the stamp of approval of the Roman Catholic Church” 🤫

However, these documents do not contain magisterial authority; they remain only opinions/suggestions advanced by scholars working with and for the Magisterium. 👌

Published online 2017 Jun 1. misuse.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/error/abuse.shtml