Participation in a sinful act?

[Questions321]

Hello, I’m hoping someone here can help me think through a question I have. I will be getting married in a few months and starting grad school shortly after. Money will be tight as I will be taking out loans at this time and we will be living on my future husband’s income for the three years I am in school. My mom, who is widowed and currently in a serious relationship, had mentioned potentially moving in with her significant other and allowing us to rent her house for essentially the price of taxes/utilities/etc since it is already paid off. This would be a huge help for us while I’m in grad school, but I have concerns about the morality of the situation. When she told me this I voiced my support for their relationship but also my opinion and the Church’s teaching on marriage/cohabitation (as a note, my fiance and I rent separate apartments currently and will continue to live separately until we are married). From what I understand they are in it for the long haul but he has little interest in marriage. So 1. I have no idea how to address the cohabitation situation or if it is my place to say anything beyond what I have already said 2. Let’s say the go ahead and move in together - is it morally straight for us to benefit from this by renting the home?
3. Is this better suited as a “talk to your priest” topic?
Thanks everyone!

 

[DiscerningTheTruth]

Is your mother Catholic?

 

[1ke]

So 1. I have no idea how to address the cohabitation situation or if it is my place to say anything beyond what I have already said

It’s not. She’s an adult, you’ve told her what you think.

My dad is a nonCatholic serial cohabiter (usually preceding marriage, but this time as a widower he says he isn’t getting married again). He knows where I stand on it, as my now deceased stepmom used to say “1ke is very Catholic”.

The man is 72, he’s not going to change. He doesn’t ask what we kids think about his decisions.

Let’s say the go ahead and move in together - is it morally straight for us to benefit from this by renting the home?

If your mother moves in with her boyfriend and wants to rent out her house, you are not doing anything immoral by being the renter. You are not the cause of the living together. The renting is a separate transaction and unrelated to the cohabiting.

If renting to you is the cause of her cohabiting— i.e. if she is moving in with the boyfriend so that she can rent to you and for no other reason, then this would be different.

I suggest you review cooperation with evil. This chart is a good overview:

http://archphila.org/HHS/pdf/CoopEvilChart.pdf

Is this better suited as a “talk to your priest” topic?

You certainly could get guidance from your priest. But I also think the answer to the “why” of her cohabiting is what you need to focus on.

 

[Questions321]

Yes, Catholic although I would say lacking catechesis

 

[Questions321]

Thank you for the thoughtful response and this chart is a great resource!

 

[DiscerningTheTruth]

I would be inclined to agree with the above commenter. If you’ve expressed to your mother your disapproval of cohabitating, then it really isn’t any different than renting from any other landlord in a cohabitating relationship

 

[MNathaniel]

Ahaha I was honestly thinking in my head:

“Oh man, I have no idea on this one. I don’t think it’s my place to say. I think this is an “ask your priest” prudence-type question.”

Then I got to the end of your comment:

1. Is this better suited as a “talk to your priest” topic?

‘Yes’. (I’d say, anyway.)

 

[goout]

Seems like fairly remote cooperation with the morally objectionable matter. It’s not like you are providing them the place to conjugate, which would be a more direct cooperation.