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→Father John J. Dietzen, M.A., S.T.L. (2004): Add text and citation.
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===Father John J. Dietzen, M.A., S.T.L. (2004)===
{{Citation
|Title=The morality of circumcision
|Text=Today, while nontherapeutic male circumcision remains common in some places, as a general practice it is forbidden in Catholic teaching for more basic reasons of respect for bodily integrity.The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against moral law” (N. 2297).
Elective circumcision clearly violates that standard. It is an amputation and mutilation, and, to my knowledge, and as you note, no significant medical group in the world defends it as having any therapeutic value. In 1999 the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association stated that neonatal circumcision is nontherapeutic because no disease is present and no therapeutic treatment is required.
Modern Catholic Church documents do not deal explicitly with the morality of elective circumcision. The above basic principles, however, clearly render it immoral. It violates the bodily integrity of infant male children and unnecessarily deprives them of a part of their body that can protect the glans of the penis during infancy and serve at least a sexual function for adults.
|Author=Fr. John J. Dietzen, M.A.
|Source=The Question Box
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|ref=<ref>{{REFweb
|url=https://www.catholicsagainstcircumcision.org/the-morality-of-circumcision/
|title=The morality of circumcision
|last=Dietzen
|first=John J.
|date=2004-10
|accessdate=2022-08-15
}}</ref>
|Comment=
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