A bit scrupulous but serious question

[Veronica97]

My husband travels for work and stays in hotel rooms about 4 nights a week. He keeps bringing me home paper coffee cups. I liked them when he first started bringing them home–they keep coffee hot. The maid puts out 4 everyday in his room, so everyday he puts them in his bag to bring home to me at the end of the week. Now one day awhile back the thought came to my mind, “I’m not sure this is okay to do.” So I told him if he doesn’t use them himself in the room, I don’t think he should bring them home. He didn’t agree with me and kept bringing them home–and I kept drinking from them. He stopped staying in the hotel that gives these cups for awhile, but today he came home with another stack. I don’t think this is a mortal sin but I just went to confession today and I’m suddenly very uncomfortable having these paper cups in my house. What do I do? Do I throw them away? Is this a venial sin? Or are hotel guests allowed to take the paper cups that are put in their room? Then I started thinking, “What about the little soaps and shampoos?” I can be scrupulous, so I don’t always have good judgement about these types of things. What do you say?

 

[jimmy]

There is nothing wrong with it. Don’t worry. They put them out to use, and they probably replace all of them anyway with new ones every day.

 

[porthos11]

My husband travels for work and stays in hotel rooms about 4 nights a week. He keeps bringing me home paper coffee cups. I liked them when he first started bringing them home–they keep coffee hot. The maid puts out 4 everyday in his room, so everyday he puts them in his bag to bring home to me at the end of the week. Now one day awhile back the thought came to my mind, “I’m not sure this is okay to do.” So I told him if he doesn’t use them himself in the room, I don’t think he should bring them home. He didn’t agree with me and kept bringing them home–and I kept drinking from them. He stopped staying in the hotel that gives these cups for awhile, but today he came home with another stack. I don’t think this is a mortal sin but I just went to confession today and I’m suddenly very uncomfortable having these paper cups in my house. What do I do? Do I throw them away? Is this a venial sin? Or are hotel guests allowed to take the paper cups that are put in their room? Then I started thinking, “What about the little soaps and shampoos?” I can be scrupulous, so I don’t always have good judgement about these types of things. What do you say?

Those cups are there for his use and disposal as a guest. He is free to take them home as he has essentially paid for them.

 

[constantconvert]

It’s not a mortal or venial sin. The cups are supplied to each guest to use as they like, and are included in the cost of the room.

 

[Yarb]

My husband travels for work and stays in hotel rooms about 4 nights a week. He keeps bringing me home paper coffee cups. I liked them when he first started bringing them home–they keep coffee hot. The maid puts out 4 everyday in his room, so everyday he puts them in his bag to bring home to me at the end of the week. Now one day awhile back the thought came to my mind, “I’m not sure this is okay to do.” So I told him if he doesn’t use them himself in the room, I don’t think he should bring them home. He didn’t agree with me and kept bringing them home–and I kept drinking from them. He stopped staying in the hotel that gives these cups for awhile, but today he came home with another stack. I don’t think this is a mortal sin but I just went to confession today and I’m suddenly very uncomfortable having these paper cups in my house. What do I do? Do I throw them away? Is this a venial sin? Or are hotel guests allowed to take the paper cups that are put in their room? Then I started thinking, “What about the little soaps and shampoos?” I can be scrupulous, so I don’t always have good judgement about these types of things. What do you say?

It seems to me the question is whether the paper cups are part of what he’s paying for. If they’re wrapped in plastic then maybe they could be safely used for the next customer if he doesn’t use them. But in the normal course of events, a customer might use them all, and not being readily washable, they would then be thrown away if used. Therefore I think they hotel probably regards them as part of what he’s paid for, so they’re his if he wants them.