What does the Church have to say about my parents disinheriting me?

[Katz326]

Both my sister and I are in our 50s. My sister has a lot of money, I don’t. Our parents have disinherited us and willed everything to their two grandchildren (both grandchildren are in their early 30s, both have college degrees). Our parents feel they are doing the right thing by leaving everything to their grandchildren because they feel neither my sister nor I need the money and they want each of their grandchildren to buy a house with their inheritance. This doesn’t seem to bother my sibling, but it bothers me because I am feeling that by disinheriting me they are in a way disowning me. They are not angry with me though and in fact they expect all kinds of favors from me. My question is what is the Church’s stand on this matter?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

My question is what is the Church’s stand on this matter?

One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:13-15).

Disappointing and hurtful though it no doubt is to be passed over by your parents in the distribution of their worldly goods, especially when you are in financial need right now, it is your parents’ right to leave their money to whomever they wish. I can only recommend that you try to put the matter out of your mind. It is unseemly and disrespectful to your parents to be coveting wealth that could only be yours if your parents were dead. It might help to read the stories of holy people who overcame mistreatment by family and persevered in virtue. Some possibilities are St. Germaine Cousin, Bl. Margaret of Castello, and Praxedes, a lay Dominican and Spanish housewife who died during the Spanish Civil War.