I read this Q&A before asking this question. While dropping off my 3-year-old child at the church preschool this morning, I observed two priests smoking in the same area reserved for dropping off and picking up the preschoolers. Wouldn’t this be scandal at least or sinful at most?
At most, it might be prudent for the priests to pick another spot for their cigarette break, and certainly concerned mothers may ask them to do so, but I urge you not to frame your request in terms of “scandal” or “sin.” Just explain to the priests your concern that flying ash might burn a youngster or that smoke in the air might irritate the lungs of a small child. If there is another area on the parish grounds where such problems are unlikely to occur, you might also recommend that area be set aside for smoking.
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