OK, since the recent thread of Papal organ donation, I wanted to throw this subject out to RCs and OCs in the crowd.
As far as organ donation, cremation, and body donation for medical science, here is how I understand where both stand:
RC: All are OK as long as you truly believe in the bodily resurrection and the desire (specifically here probably cremation is the extreme case) to do any of the above is not a statement in the belief of the non-bodily resurrection. This is what I have gathered from going to school with Jesuits and from other RC priests.
OC: All I have heard is that cremation is verboten, but I have had the chance to read or discussion the "exemptions" here. Obviously, the proscription against cremation can't be "magical" or necessary for bodily resurrection, since many of the Saints left the world in ashes. So I am guessing it too is a tradition of up-holding the belief in the bodily resurrection. But this is just my guess.
So, to donation of organs or one's entire body to medical science. The reason I ask, is because I have many physicians and med students as acquaintances and friends. And they say that every year there is a steady decrease in the corpses available for Gross Anatomy study and that it is becoming a real problem in terms of education.
Would it not be good to help medical students get hands on knowledge of human physiology to better prepare them to treat others by allowing them the use of your body?
Shoot.