what does the CATHOLIC church teach about lung cancer?

Question

I have to do a bio presentation tomorrow and we have to add in what the catholic church teaches about lung cancer... any help PLEASE

Answer 1

I can't think of teachings specific to lung cancer but we can consider two things: (1) that if a person is a smoker and gets lung cancer, s/he most assuredly got cancer because of her/his smoking habit; and (2) once a person gets cancer, s/he most likely will go through the stages of grief (as described by Kubler-Ross).

Regarding (1):
The Catholic Church would say that God endowed humans with freedom to choose. If we love God, we choose to live in honor of the gift of life, which comes from Him. That means we ought to choose not to smoke because it would be harming the body that God gave us, which would be, almost by definition, a sin. Choosing not to smoke means that we choose "life", clean living, and clear thinking (uncluttered by the thinking of a drug [nicotine] user who uses the substance to allay her/his anxieties). This is what is meant by the wisdom granted by the Holy Spirit (which is God, according to Catholic teaching).

Regarding (2):
If a person gets lung cancer because of her/his smoking habit, that person must be careful not to compound his mistake with further poor choices. Catholic teaching would frown upon suicide in any form, which a person with cancer may consider in place of a difficult end-of-life period under pain of cancer, with or without chemotherapy which is also an ordeal unto itself. Again, we as Catholics turn to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that Kubler-Ross described the stages of grief, the cancer patient can see the road ahead with clear vision (avoiding poor choices from vision clouded by selfish thinking). (The Church is not against science and philosophy categorically.) With this knowledge, the cancer patient can go through the stages and in the end find peace before death. The Church encourages this "death with dignity."

I hope this helped.

Answer 2

In Catechism of the Catholic Church, there is a section on Anointing of the Sick which is for all illnesses...
"Illness in human life
1500 Illness and suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude. Every illness can make us glimpse death.
1501 Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorbtion, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn toward that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him."

There is the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick which is meant to be a healing sacrament. There are also supposed to be miracle cures from the water at Lourdes France. The Catholic Church teaches healing but it also teaches the lessons to be learned from illnesses in general. I've never heard them address cancer specifically but by no means do I know everything. Hope that helps you at least have something to say!

Answer 3

Smoking should be avoided
Catholics do not like lung cancer

Answer 4

I dont get the question---Don't all people think lung cancer is bad?

Answer 5

lung cancer=bad.


that's the official catholic stance

are you asking about people needing machines to breathe and things like that? i don't know.


lost.eu/21618

Answer 6

Wow!
The Catholic Church knows everything!
Maybe this link will help
*I didn't really read it through though*
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10122a.htm

Answer 7

don't think they teach anything about lung cancer...pray for the sick...