Alfred Cioffi Catholic Priest Archdiocese Of Miami Doctorate In M ✓ Solved

• ALFRED CIOFFI • CATHOLIC PRIEST, ARCHDIOCESE OF MIAMI • DOCTORATE IN MORAL THEOLOGY, GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY, ROME, ITALY • DOCTORATE IN GENETICS, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, INDIANA • ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, BIOLOGY AND BIOETHICS • DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR BIOETHICS BIOMEDICAL ETHICS Introduction • PRESENTATIONS • THINK • RESPECT • HONOR CODE • ON TIME • QUIZZES • TAKE NOTES • AVERAGE CANVAS HUMAN BIO-ETHICS​: evidence-based • BEGINNING OF LIFE​ • HEALTHCARE​ • END OF LIFE BIO-ETHICS PRINCIPLED UTILITARIAN or… • SEXUAL REPRODUCTION • EARLY EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT • ONTOLOGICAL STATUS OF HUMAN EMBRYO SEXUAL REPRODUCTION: INVOLVES FERTILIZATION FERTILIZATION: INVOLVES FUSION OF GAMETES AT FERTILIZATION THE DIPLOID NUMBER (2n) IS RESTORED GAMETES = SEX CELLS (SPERM & OVA), PRODUCED BY MEIOSIS FIRST, A REVIEW OF MITOSIS b d c a chromatin 2n 2n b d c a chromatin 2n 2n X X X X 2b 1a 1b 2a chromatin 2n 2n 2b1b 1a 2a 2b1b 1a 2a 1a 1b 2b 2a 2b1b 1a 2a 2a 2b 1b 1a DNA REPLICATION SISTER CHROMATIDS Temporary “4n†stage 2b1b 1a 2a CELL CYCLE G = GAP S = SYNTHESIS 2n 2n 2n MEIOSIS: DOUBLE CELLULAR SPLIT: ONE CELL -> -> 4 CELLS • RECOMBINATION (CROSSING OVER) • FROM DIPLOID NUMBER (2n) -> HAPLOID NUMBER (n) = CHROMATIC REDUCTION 2a 2b 1a 1b 2a 2b 1a 1b 2a2b 1a1b DNA RECOMBINATION = CROSSING OVER MEIOSIS = FORMATION OF GAMETES (SEX CELLS), HAPLOID SPERMATOGENESIS -> SPERM (n) GAMETOGENESIS OOGENESIS -> OVUM (n) Primary spermatocyte (2n) Primary oocyte (2n) Polar bodies H. sapiens # OF CHROMOSOMES = 46 = 23 "PAIRS" ONLY IDENTICAL IN FEMALE (XX) • 22 PAIRS = AUTOSOMES • 1 PAIR = SEX CHROMOSOMES THEREFORE, IN HUMANS: • n = 23 (gametes) • 2n = 46 (somatic cells) Seminiferous tubules Ovarian follicles VIDEOS OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC AND FETAL DEVELOPMENT From fertilization to birth 6 minutes EGG + SPERM = ZYGOTE ZYGON (GK) = YOKED OR LINKED ZYGOTE DNA: • 50% OF THE GENETIC MATERIAL COMES FROM THE MOTHER • 50% FROM THE FATHER 0.1 mm 0.005 mm 0.05 mm = SYNGAMY Ampulla DAY 1 DAY 7 Endometrium ZYGOTE M O RU LA COMPACTION BLASTOMERES MALE & FEMALE PRONUCLEI FIRST CELLULAR DIFFERENTIATION = 2 CELL LAYERS (INNER CELL MASS) IMPLANTATION FURTHER CELLULAR DIFFERENTIATION: 3 GERM LAYERS ( ICM ) GASTRULATION THIRD WEEK OF EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMNET: GASTRULA LONGITUDINAL VIEW CROSS SECTION NEURAL GROOVE ~ 1 inch EIGHT WEEKS EMBRYO FETUS FETUS VIDEOS OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC AND FETAL DEVELOPMENT Conception to birth -- visualized | Alexander Tsiaras 10 minutes THEREFORE, REGARDING EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT: CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT OF TISSUES, ORGANS AND SYSTEMS FROM THE ZYGOTE, THROUGH 9 MONTHS, UP TO BIRTH.

AFER BIRTH, DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES, UP TO ADULTHOOD. ADULTHOOD DEFINED BIOLOGICALLY; MATURITY OF SEXUAL ORGANS. THAT IS, CAPABLE OF REPRODUCING: FOR WOMAN: OVULATING MATURE EGGS AND CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING A PREGNANCY FOR MAN: PRODUCTION OF COMPETENT SPERM AND CAPABLE OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE Slide Number 1 Slide Number 2 Slide Number 3 Slide Number 4 Slide Number 5 Slide Number 6 Slide Number 7 Slide Number 8 Slide Number 9 Slide Number 10 Slide Number 11 Slide Number 12 Slide Number 13 Slide Number 14 Slide Number 15 Slide Number 16 Slide Number 17 Slide Number 18 Slide Number 19 Slide Number 20 Slide Number 21 Slide Number 22 Slide Number 23 Slide Number 24 Slide Number 25 Slide Number 26 Slide Number 27 Slide Number 28 Slide Number 29 Slide Number 30 Slide Number 31 Slide Number 32 Slide Number 33 Slide Number 34 Slide Number 35 Slide Number 36 Slide Number 37 Slide Number 38 Slide Number 39 Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services PART FOUR Issues in Care for the Beginning of Life Introduction.

The Church’s commitment to human dignity inspires an abiding concern for the sanctity of human life from its very beginning, and with the dignity of marriage and of the marriage act by which human life is transmitted. The Church cannot approve medical practices that undermine the biological, psychological, and moral bonds on which the strength of marriage and the family depends. Catholic health care ministry witnesses to the sanctity of life “from the moment of conception until death.â€20 The Church’s defense of life encompasses the unborn and the care of women and their children during and after pregnancy. The Church’s commitment to life is seen in its willingness to collaborate with others to alleviate the causes of the high infant mortality rate and to provide adequate health care to mothers and their children before and after birth.

The Church has the deepest respect for the family, for the marriage covenant, and for the love that binds a married couple together. This includes respect for the marriage act by which husband and wife express their love and cooperate with God in the creation of a new human being. The Second Vatican Council affirms: This love is an eminently human one. . . . It involves the good of the whole person. . . . The actions within marriage by which the couple are united intimately and chastely are noble and worthy ones.

Expressed in a manner which is truly human, these actions signify and promote that mutual self-giving by which spouses enrich each other with a joyful and a thankful will. Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the begetting and educating of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute very substantially to the welfare of their parents. . . . Parents should regard as their proper mission the task of transmitting human life and educating those to whom it has been transmitted. . . . They are thereby cooperators with the love of God the Creator, and are, so to speak, the interpreters of that love.

For legitimate reasons of responsible parenthood, married couples may limit the number of their children by natural means. The Church cannot approve contraceptive interventions that “either in anticipation of the marital act, or in its accomplishment or in the development of its natural consequences, have the purpose, whether as an end or a means, to render procreation impossible.†Such interventions violate “the inseparable connection, willed by God . . . between the two meanings of the conjugal act: the unitive and procreative meaning.†With the advance of the biological and medical sciences, society has at its disposal new technologies for responding to the problem of infertility. While we rejoice in the potential for Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Sixth Edition good inherent in many of these technologies, we cannot assume that what is technically possible is always morally right.

Reproductive technologies that substitute for the marriage act are not consistent with human dignity. Just as the marriage act is joined naturally to procreation, so procreation is joined naturally to the marriage act. As Pope John XXIII observed: The transmission of human life is entrusted by nature to a personal and conscious act and as such is subject to all the holy laws of God: the immutable and inviolable laws which must be recognized and observed. For this reason, one cannot use means and follow methods which could be licit in the transmission of the life of plants and animals. Because the moral law is rooted in the whole of human nature, human persons, through intelligent reflection on their own spiritual destiny, can discover and cooperate in the plan of the Creator.

Directives 38. When the marital act of sexual intercourse is not able to attain its procreative purpose, assistance that does not separate the unitive and procreative ends of the act, and does not substitute for the marital act itself, may be used to help married couples conceive. 39. Those techniques of assisted conception that respect the unitive and procreative meanings of sexual intercourse and do not involve the destruction of human embryos, or their deliberate generation in such numbers that it is clearly envisaged that all cannot implant and some are simply being used to maximize the chances of others implanting, may be used as therapies for infertility. 40.

Heterologous fertilization (that is, any technique used to achieve conception by the use of gametes coming from at least one donor other than the spouses) is prohibited because it is contrary to the covenant of marriage, the unity of the spouses, and the dignity proper to parents and the child. 41. Homologous artificial fertilization (that is, any technique used to achieve conception using the gametes of the two spouses joined in marriage) is prohibited when it separates procreation from the marital act in its unitive significance (e.g., any technique used to achieve extracorporeal conception). 42. Because of the dignity of the child and of marriage, and because of the uniqueness of the mother-child relationship, participation in contracts or arrangements for surrogate motherhood is not permitted.

Moreover, the commercialization of such surrogacy denigrates the dignity of women, especially the poor. 43. A Catholic health care institution that provides treatment for infertility should offer not only technical assistance to infertile couples but also should help couples pursue other solutions (e.g., counseling, adoption). 44. A Catholic health care institution should provide prenatal, obstetric, and postnatal services for mothers and their children in a manner consonant with its mission.

45. Abortion (that is, the directly intended termination of pregnancy before viability or the directly intended destruction of a viable fetus) is never permitted. Every procedure whose sole immediate effect is the termination of pregnancy before viability is an abortion, which, in its moral context, includes the interval between conception and implantation of the embryo. Catholic health care institutions are not to provide abortion services, even based upon the principle of material cooperation. In this context, Catholic health care institutions need to be 19 Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Sixth Edition concerned about the danger of scandal in any association with abortion providers.

46. Catholic health care providers should be ready to offer compassionate physical, psychological, moral, and spiritual care to those persons who have suffered from the trauma of abortion. 47. Operations, treatments, and medications that have as their direct purpose the cure of a proportionately serious pathological condition of a pregnant woman are permitted when they cannot be safely postponed until the unborn child is viable, even if they will result in the death of the unborn child. 48.

In case of extrauterine pregnancy, no intervention is morally licit which constitutes a direct abortion. 49. For a proportionate reason, labor may be induced after the fetus is viable. 50. Prenatal diagnosis is permitted when the procedure does not threaten the life or physical integrity of the unborn child or the mother and does not subject them to disproportionate risks; when the diagnosis can provide information to guide preventative care for the mother or pre- or postnatal care for the child; and when the parents, or at least the mother, give free and informed consent.

Prenatal diagnosis is not permitted when undertaken with the intention of aborting an unborn child with a serious defect. 51. Nontherapeutic experiments on a living embryo or fetus are not permitted, even with the consent of the parents. Therapeutic experiments are permitted for a proportionate reason with the free and informed consent of the parents or, if the father cannot be contacted, at least of the mother. Medical research that will not harm the life or physical integrity of an unborn child is permitted with parental consent.

52. Catholic health institutions may not promote or condone contraceptive practices but should provide, for married couples and the medical staff who counsel them, instruction both about the Church’s teaching on responsible parenthood and in methods of natural family planning. 53. Direct sterilization of either men or women, whether permanent or temporary, is not permitted in a Catholic health care institution. Procedures that induce sterility are permitted when their direct effect is the cure or alleviation of a present and serious pathology and a simpler treatment is not available.

54. Genetic counseling may be provided in order to promote responsible parenthood and to prepare for the proper treatment and care of children with genetic defects, in accordance with Catholic moral teaching and the intrinsic rights and obligations of married couples regarding the transmission of life

Paper for above instructions

Introduction

The integration of faith and ethics in medicine is essential for providing holistic health care. Father Alfred Cioffi, a Catholic priest with extensive academic qualifications—including a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome and a Doctorate in Genetics from Purdue University—articulates the responsibility we have as caregivers to respect the inherent dignity of life (Cioffi, 2023). This paper aims to discuss the Church's ethical directives in the context of bioethics, particularly as they relate to beginning-of-life issues in health care, referencing Father Cioffi’s teachings, Catholic doctrine, and relevant scientific insights.

The Sanctity of Life in Catholic Teaching

The Catholic Church recognizes the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. This belief is rooted in the notion that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1997). According to Cioffi, the Church's commitment to human dignity is manifested in its unwavering stance against abortion and in support of family life—the fundamental unit through which dignity is nurtured and transmitted (Cioffi, 2023).
The Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) for Catholic Health Care Services provide a comprehensive framework that guides the operation of Catholic health care institutions (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops [USCCB], 2018). These directives emphasize the importance of supporting the family and fostering an environment where life can flourish. The emphasis on the marriage covenant further underscores the significance of the family unit in ethical discussions surrounding procreation and health care.

Beginning of Life Issues

Fertilization and Early Development

The process of fertilization is seen as a sacred event, where the union of sperm and egg creates a zygote—a new human life (Cioffi, 2023). Ethical questions arise during early embryonic development, particularly regarding practices such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The Church maintains that while infertility treatments may be acceptable, they must respect both the unitive and procreative aspects of the marital act, which should not be substituted with technological interventions that could harm embryos or separate procreation from its natural context (USCCB, 2018).

Embryo Rights and Genetic Engineering

The question of the ontological status of the human embryo is central to moral theology. According to Cioffi, the embryo deserves the same respect as any other human being (Cioffi, 2023). Consequently, research involving embryonic stem cells or genetic engineering raises significant ethical concerns. While technological advances have the potential to cure diseases, they must remain respectful of the dignity of every human life—this includes refraining from non-therapeutic experiments on embryos.
Furthermore, ethics dictates that the intentions behind genetic counseling and intervention must align with promoting a responsible approach to parenthood. Genetic counseling should provide essential information without resorting to actions that could undermine the integrity of human life (Andrews et al., 2019).

End of Life Considerations

The ethical discourse surrounding the end of life is as critical as discussions on the beginning of life. The Church teaches the importance of palliative care and the duty to preserve life while not pursuing extraordinary means of prolongation when death is inevitable (USCCB, 2018). Having a grasp of these teachings ensures that health care professionals can navigate the complexities of End-of-life care while remaining aligned with Catholic principles.

Implications for Healthcare Practitioners

Healthcare practitioners in Catholic institutions are charged with providing care that respects the ERDs. Familiarity with these directives ensures that practitioners can offer compassionate care that aligns with Catholic teachings. In this capacity, Father Cioffi emphasizes that health care providers must receive training on ethical bioethics issues so they can provide comprehensive care that nurtures both physical and spiritual well-being (Cioffi, 2023).
Responsibility Toward Patients
Catholic health care systems must interpret their responsibility toward patients within the framework of promoting dignity. For instance, when dealing with postpartum care, the focus should reflect the Church’s commitment to women and their families while offering services that align with moral teachings (USCCB, 2018). Health care providers are also encouraged to offer non-coercive options to address infertility, counseling couples toward holistic family planning rather than merely directing them towards contraceptive methods or surgical solutions.

Conclusion

Father Alfred Cioffi’s teachings and the guidance provided by the Ethical and Religious Directives establish a moral compass for navigating bioethical dilemmas in Catholic health care. By integrating scientific understanding with moral principles, health care practitioners can maintain respect for human dignity at all stages of life. The insights offered here hold profound implications for the Church’s health care ministry, elevating the conversation surrounding the beginning and end of life as essential components in ethical decision-making.

References

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