Q333 – Does the Church allow unrelated, unmarried men and women without children to live together for financial reasons?

Interview Organization: The Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima
Interviewer Name: Christopher Wendt
Date: January 13, 2025
Living together unmarried is imprudent and scandalous, even without sin, as it appears immoral and undermines marriage. Spiritual well-being must come before financial concerns. Deliberately placing oneself near sin, without necessity or assurance of resistance, is itself sinful and endangers the soul’s salvation. We are not immune to temptation.
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Transcript:

It is not considered prudent and, in fact, constitutes a public scandal when two unrelated persons, a man and a woman, live together in the same apartment or house without being married. This situation is a cause of public scandal, and we must take that into account. In such a case, even if no sin is being committed, it is still immoral because it gives the appearance of impropriety, especially in matters concerning the morality of marriage. We must avoid such situations.

Our primary aim should always be the salvation of our souls and to please God. Wealth and finances are secondary concerns. We must always subordinate these earthly matters to spiritual ones, for the benefit of our souls.

Thank you, Your Excellency. I would also add that such individuals are putting themselves in a state of sin. We are not angels. This behavior is extremely imprudent. It is also sinful to knowingly place oneself in a continuous near occasion of sin, especially when it is not absolutely necessary for one’s life, and there is no guarantee that one will resist temptation.