Debate On Whether Brain Death is Suitable for Organ Donation Continues

The philosophical debate on what determines the point at at which a person is declared dead is ongoing, and impacts the matter of organ donation significantly. As Catholic Culture reports: "If 'brain death' is not to be considered real death, virtually all transplants of vital organs would be morally illicit, since these organs are invariably taken from 'brain dead' donors. (When death is judged by traditional standards, the organs have already deteriorated enough to be unsuitable for transplantation.) The Church has clearly and repeatedly endorsed organ donation-- several reporters noted that Pope Benedict himself carries an organ-donor card-- and transplants are done at countless Catholic hospitals. So the stakes in this debate are very high."

The recent challenge to the use of the brain death definition as the acceptable parameter for collecting organs from a patient has been raised by Lucetta Scaraffia in the magazine, L'Osservatore Romano.
Catholic Culture Article 1

Catholic Culture Article 2

UN Secretary General Invites Cardinal Maradiaga to Discuss Global Poverty

The UN has set goals to reduce poverty throughout the world to certain percentages by 2015. However, the projections for many countries are far below the planned pace to assist those suffering from destitution. Cardinal Maradiaga, the president of Caritatis Internationalis, submitted that these goals to reduce poverty are important, but revealed that faith-based organizations like Caritatis are not supported in their efforts to assist those in want.

Zenit Source Article

Caritatis in India , in Georgia, Caritatis Sounds off on Aid to Africa

Iraqi Chaldean Catholic Archbisop Rahho's Body is Found

Archbishop Rahho of Mosul, Iraq was kidnapped at gunpoint on February 29 and they recovered his body today. His corpse was half buried in Mosul's Al-Entisa district and it appears that he died a week ago. al Qaeda is believed to have been behind the act of terror.

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Vietnamese ex-Nuncio Building Debate Widens as Buddhists Make Claim

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11877

Rough Draft of Kosovo Constitution Leaves Out Protection for Unborn, Marriage, etc.

Get the story - http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=56792

4 Key Elements in a World "fit for children": Family Rights, Education, Eradication of Poverty, Better Health Care

Cardinal Migliore, one of the Holy See's permanent observers to the UN, discussed the Vatican's hopes for children at a follow-up discussion to the 2002 special session on children. He affirmed the fundamental principle of rights of children born and unborn, stressed the areas that require more effort in fighting AIDs, and described sanitation as one of the basic human needs that is most often overlooked or brushed aside.


http://www.zenit.org/article-21313?l=english

Iran May Ask Vatican to be Mediator in Talks with U.S.

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54982