The Catholic Church considers organ donation an acceptable and morally laudable practice, provided it aligns with Church teachings. A recent incident in Kentucky, where a man was reportedly found alive during organ harvesting, highlights the critical need for moral certainty of death before vital organ retrieval.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that organ transplants are permissible if the risks to the donor are proportionate to the recipient's benefit. Donation after death is "a noble and meritorious act." However, the Church emphasizes that directly causing harm or death for organ harvesting is morally unacceptable.

A significant debate exists regarding the definition of "brain death." Concerns have been raised by Catholic ethicists and theologians that revised guidelines might lead to organs being harvested from individuals who are not truly deceased. The Church insists on respectful treatment of the body, even after organ donation, in light of the belief in the resurrection of the body.