Does this count as stealing?

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starrygirl

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Hey there, I know I’m probably scrupulous, but my parents brought some paper from heir office and we are using them at home. Does this count as stealing? Does using ink from other printers that doesn’t serve as that purpose count as stealing too?

Also, my mother brought an iPad to home but it’s supposed to be public property within her panel of teachers, we are also using it at home.
 
Are they using the paper/ink for private or work-related matters? Or perhaps they have taken some paper from work in lieu of other paper they have previously used.

Do you know whether they may have obtained permission to take these anyway?

Perhaps each teacher gets to take the iPad home for some time to get accustomed to using it; this is fairly common for people to get accustomed to new technologies.

There are possible explanations that make these acts perfectly fine. Most teachers do a lot of work from home and it may be entirely reasonable that they use some school resources. Likewise for people working in private companies. But it is also possible that they are acts of (minor) theft.
 
Well, I don’t think they have permission. But the thing is, I don’t really know which papers to use now as they’ve been doing this since I was young. Maybe I should drop by the supermarket and buy a stack for myself.

As for the iPad, my mom have kept it for quite a long time. My mom and Dad are using it not for teaching purposes. So… I think I might have to avoid using that too.
 
I think you’re worrying too much about this since you don’t know that they’re doing wrong. If you knew, then it would be appropriate to buy your own paper and decline the use of stolen stationary. But since you don’t know that it’s stolen, you risk offending your parents (who you are bound to respect) by implying such. You could ask them about the paper; if it’s clear that they’re not meant to take it, then you show good witness by buying your own and avoiding using stolen goods. But such questions need to be handled with great care and without judgemental overtones.

As for the iPad, many people are allowed to take tablets or laptops home with an implicit understanding that some level of person use is fine. Again, you presume the worse of your parents without enough knowledge of the situation.

It’s admirable to want to do what is right, but respecting your parents is very important too.
 
I think you’re being scrupulous, but ask your priest if you want to make sure.
 
Seira said:
I think you’re being scrupulous, but ask your priest if you want to make sure.
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I think this is true. I got the tone from some of your other posts that scruples may be an issue for you. If this is so. you should discuss it with a good priest or Spiritual Director.

Always remember that Jesus died on the cross for our sins - to free us. He doesn’t want us to be over scrupulous.

He wants us to be happy.

👍

God Bless
 
I think that you are not to use things like paper from the school and the iPad for your personal use, I am quite sure that it was not purchased at taxpayers expenses for that purpose. In regard to your parents using the iPad for non school activities, that might be moral depending on what the rules of the school are. In some companies technology assigned to individuals can also be used for personal reasons, usually if that is allowed the company says so and it also makes it clear when the technology should or should not be used. My point is that while your parents might have permission to use the technology probably you do not have it. Even if that you have taken advantage of the opportunity you did not have the knowledge or the intent of committing grave matter, thus you should relax and bring it up for conversation with your priest, I am quite sure that it does not require confession.
 
Well, I don’t feel like going up to a priest and ask them. I get nervous just thinking about their facial expression if I ask such a question.:o

I asked my dad yesterday about the papers. Like “Oh you bought those papers?” while he was talking about using them. He just got some new ones recently. He said “no, it’s from work.” I said work." I asked “it’s allowed?” he said “Um, its not too good to do so.”

I have decided that if they use those papers to print some documents that they want to have or keep, I’ll keep those and only look at them when they tell me too. I am not going to use them myself. I bought some paper today so maybe I can offer to e the one in charge of buying papers whenever we run out of it? That seems to reach a balance right?

But what can I do about the old papers?
 
starrygirl said:
Well, I don’t feel like going up to a priest and ask them. I get nervous just thinking about their facial expression if I ask such a question.:o

I asked my dad yesterday about the papers. Like “Oh you bought those papers?” while he was talking about using them. He just got some new ones recently. He said “no, it’s from work.” I said work." I asked “it’s allowed?” he said “Um, its not too good to do so.”

I have decided that if they use those papers to print some documents that they want to have or keep, I’ll keep those and only look at them when they tell me too. I am not going to use them myself. I bought some paper today so maybe I can offer to e the one in charge of buying papers whenever we run out of it? That seems to reach a balance right?

But what can I do about the old papers?
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Do not stress out too much about it. First your parents understand right from wrong and it is not up to you to correct them any further, you made them aware of your thinking. If they give you materials printed on the paper from the office just use them, if you want to use paper for your own stuff then buy some. The old stuff is part of the past, you can simply use it, not using it anymore does not make any reparation anyway. You are forming your conscience well, you also have to learn not to stress too much because the gravity of the acts can change a lot and not everything is a mortal sin. It would help you a lot if you were to look at sin from a slightly different point of view. I encourage to go to this magazine published by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and read the article by Dr. Frances Colie on page 30. I like to share it with the high school students in my catechism class.

Sophia Journal Fall 2010
 
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