cooperation in evil

[RRosalie]

I belong to a parish ministry that helps those who come to the church for help. An unmarried, cohabitating couple has asked for help paying their rent. Would we be cooperating in evil if we helped pay their rent? They already live together and no children are involved. The parish priest has previously issued guidelines that forbid helping unmarried couples rent an apartment together when they are currently living separately.

 

[Veronica97]

Yes, I believe it would be wrong to help this couple with rent when they are living together. You must somehow gently tell them that living together is a sin in the eyes of God, a God who loves them and who gave us the commandments because He loves us and does not want us to harm ourselves or others. Maybe they’ve never heard living together is a sin. Maybe they truly don’t know. The loving thing is to tell them the Truth.

 

[Beryllos]

Maybe you should ask the pastor.

We are called to help the needy, but bear in mind, this couple has spiritual needs as well as material needs. To assist them with the rent may help with the material needs but bring spiritual harm to them or even to other members of the community. It may enable the couple to continue cohabiting. It may mislead them, or other members of the community, into thinking that the church approves, or that they are in some sense forgiven. However, faith and repentance must come first, and then the forgiveness of sins.

I may be missing something, so you should run this by a priest or pastor.

Peace and blessings to you and your parish.

 

[DefenderPro]

Tell them it’s my way or the highway, I’m sure they’ll understand.

 

[thistle]

I belong to a parish ministry that helps those who come to the church for help. An unmarried, cohabitating couple has asked for help paying their rent. Would we be cooperating in evil if we helped pay their rent? They already live together and no children are involved. The parish priest has previously issued guidelines that forbid helping unmarried couples rent an apartment together when they are currently living separately.

You have given the answer in your post. The parish priest says no. Be obedient to the priest.

 

[Beryllos]

**RRosalie **wrote: The parish priest has previously issued guidelines that forbid helping unmarried couples rent an apartment together when they are currently living separately.

thistle, note my underlining. The OP is not sure whether the same rule applies if the two are currently living together. In my post (above), I was trying to address this distinction. I am of the opinion that rental assistance should be denied in this case.

 

[Cojuanco]

I belong to a parish ministry that helps those who come to the church for help. An unmarried, cohabitating couple has asked for help paying their rent. Would we be cooperating in evil if we helped pay their rent? They already live together and no children are involved. The parish priest has previously issued guidelines that forbid helping unmarried couples rent an apartment together when they are currently living separately.

Cooperation in evil is a moot point, as legitimate authority already prohibits you from giving them the rent payments.

 

[thistle]

thistle, note my underlining. The OP is not sure whether the same rule applies if the two are currently living together. In my post (above), I was trying to address this distinction. I am of the opinion that rental assistance should be denied in this case.

I agree with you that rent help should be denied.

I don’t really see any distinction. Whether they are unmarried and already living together or unmarried and wanting help to get an apartment to be able to live together they should be denied any help for such scenarios.

 

[Cojuanco]

I agree with you that rent help should be denied.

I don’t really see any distinction. Whether they are unmarried and already living together or unmarried and wanting help to get an apartment to be able to live together they should be denied any help for such scenarios.

I would not go that far. It is evident that they, together, cannot reasonably afford to pay for shelter, let alone by themselves. I do not think in such circumstances depriving them a place to stay, even though they are in sin so to speak, would be prudent.

However, the prudence or not of the decision of our lawful superiors, as our priests in ministry are, does not exempt one from obeying them. You might question, ask for clarification, and humbly protest, but in the end one must obey them in all that is not sinful.

 

[thistle]

I would not go that far.**** It is evident that they, together, cannot reasonably afford to pay for shelter, let alone by themselves. I do not think in such circumstances depriving them a place to stay, even though they are in sin so to speak, would be prudent.****

However, the prudence or not of the decision of our lawful superiors, as our priests in ministry are, does not exempt one from obeying them. You might question, ask for clarification, and humbly protest, but in the end one must obey them in all that is not sinful.

We don’t know the circumstances so no point in speculating. However, it is never acceptable to help people to sin.

 

[Ron_Conte]

Under the principles of cooperation with evil, formal cooperation participates directly in the intrinsically evil act of another person; material cooperation participates in the circumstances of the sinful act, but not in its evil moral object. From the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. However, material cooperation is sometimes permissible.

Example: If you pay for the abortion of another person, that is formal cooperation. If you pay taxes and, contrary to your will, some of that money goes to pay for abortion or abortifacients, that is remote material cooperation.

See this article on when material cooperation is permissible.

For the case in question, helping to pay for an apartment for a cohabitating couple is illicit material cooperation; it is a sin.

There is nothing to necessitate your cooperation; you are doing no harm if you refrain from helping them. It is not like the case of refraining from paying taxes, which would cause you to end up in jail. Given that your help participates materially in their grave sin, and there is no compelling reason to tolerate this effect of your act, you cannot morally assist them.

I disagree with those posters above who say that the parish priest’s decision in the matter is authoritative. The teaching of the Church on morality takes precedent over a pastor’s judgment. If the priest had decided incorrectly, contrary to Church teaching, would we be obligated by his authority? Not at all. His judgment and authority carries weight because it is an expression of the truths taught by the magisterium.

 

[thistle]

Under the principles of cooperation with evil, formal cooperation participates directly in the intrinsically evil act of another person; material cooperation participates in the circumstances of the sinful act, but not in its evil moral object. From the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. However, material cooperation is sometimes permissible.

Example: If you pay for the abortion of another person, that is formal cooperation. If you pay taxes and, contrary to your will, some of that money goes to pay for abortion or abortifacients, that is remote material cooperation.

See this article on when material cooperation is permissible.

For the case in question, helping to pay for an apartment for a cohabitating couple is illicit material cooperation; it is a sin.

There is nothing to necessitate your cooperation; you are doing no harm if you refrain from helping them. It is not like the case of refraining from paying taxes, which would cause you to end up in jail. Given that your help participates materially in their grave sin, and there is no compelling reason to tolerate this effect of your act, you cannot morally assist them.

I disagree with those posters above who say that the parish priest’s decision in the matter is authoritative. The teaching of the Church on morality takes precedent over a pastor’s judgment. If the priest had decided incorrectly, contrary to Church teaching, would we be obligated by his authority? Not at all. His judgment and authority carries weight because it is an expression of the truths taught by the magisterium.

In this case, though, the priest said help should not be given which is correct.
I agree that we only owe obedience to the priest provided what he says is not contrary to Church teaching. That is obvious without having to say it but I read back through the posts and I can’t find anyone having said obey the priest even if its against Church teachings.