The Catholic Message Board

Based on an incident that happened in Kerala

An LGBT person died in a hospital

His family had already disowned him, because he was LGBT

His boyfriend was with him

The hospital did not give the dead body to the boyfriend, because he was not a legal relative.
Gay marriage is not yet recognised in India.

So the body was classified as "unclaimed body" and tested as such, although there was a person who wanted to receive the body and give him a proper burial

What should have been done in this case?

Did his family refuse to claim the body?

Yes. His family refused to claim his body, having already rejected him for being LGBT.

And so, the boyfriend was the only person who wanted to claim the body and give him a proper burial

The thing is, letting just anyone claim an otherwise unwanted body could lead to chaos. If the deceased had left specific instructions that his friend get custody of the body, that would be one thing. But absent a legal relationship, I don't see how it's prudent to release a body to someone without prior permission.

I guess the deceased's family could have said, "Let him have it," but that doesn't sound likely.

The fact that someone asks for the body does not mean it is proper to give it to him. It is the same thing with hospital visitation, the fact that someone asks to visit someone when visitation is restricted, doesn't mean anything. If the patient provides a a list of people he wishes to see is one thing, otherwise, a restriction to family only is entirely reasonable.

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2024 10:42 pm The thing is, letting just anyone claim an otherwise unwanted body could lead to chaos. If the deceased had left specific instructions that his friend get custody of the body, that would be one thing. But absent a legal relationship, I don't see how it's prudent to release a body to someone without prior permission.

I guess the deceased's family could have said, "Let him have it," but that doesn't sound likely.

Is it compatible with the faith to approve of legal recognition of same-sex unions for this reason?

No.

Jack3 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:59 pm Is it compatible with the faith to approve of legal recognition of same-sex unions for this reason?

I'd venture iit is NEVER compatible with the faith..