A forum of Catholic Thought

Holding the line on brain deathFather Tadeusz Pacholczyk

How do we determine that someone has died? The Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA), which has been an important part of the medical and legal landscape in the U.S. for more than 40 years, states: "An ...

Young women giving themselves away for nothing Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

As internet pornography continues to make inroads into the daily lives of millions, greater numbers of young women are making the decision to participate in its production, with some even seeing it as ...

Dissolving the deadFather Tadeusz Pacholczyk

In recent years, a number of U.S. states have legalized a new way to process human corpses that some have called "dissolving the dead." Its technical name is "alkaline hydrolysis," but it is also known ...

Did I make the right choices as dad was dying? Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Sometimes people will contact the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) wondering if the decisions they made on behalf of a dying family member were the right ones. The NCBC provides a free Ethics ...

Seeking the spiritual side of dementiaFather Tadeusz Pacholczyk

The possibility of suffering from dementia later in life is a worrisome and unpleasant prospect for many of us. Most people I know would like to remain in possession of their mental faculties until the ...

Psychedelic drugs and new mental health treatments Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Researchers are investigating a new generation of drugs for treating mental illness derived from psychedelic substances. A molecule known as psilocybin, for example, found in "magic mushrooms," appears ...

Homosexual men and chaste friendshipsFather Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Catholic men facing same-sex attractions often struggle with how they are supposed to handle their homoromantic feelings. Some clearly understand that the Church invites them to order their feelings and ...

A great nation begins to come to its senses Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

In late June, I had the opportunity to speak at a religious liberty conference in Houston about transgender issues, homosexuality and contraception. The conference happened to open on the same day that ...