Can I sue a fellow Catholic?

[mariospeed]

About a year ago, my wife and I sold a business we owned to a Catholic couple from our parish. They have been falling consistently behind on their payments, either late or missing them altogether. I have told them verbally a few times that we couldn’t bear the burden of late payments and to please try and catch up.

About a month ago, I gave them a letter saying they were forcing us into legal action if things didn’t improve. Since the letter, they have once again missed a payment. How does the Church view taking them to court for our money? I want to do what’s loving and Christian, and I don’t begrudge them, but I don’t want to forego what is owed to my family.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

From the comments posted here and from several I edited out of the post in order to avoid publishing private information, it sounds as if you have done everything you could reasonably do to give this couple every opportunity to meet their responsibility to you. Seeking legal recourse in order to protect your family’s interests is certainly allowed by the Church.