u/InterestingFee6767

Hello. I am a Catholic and a businessman.
Only recently have I truly started living my faith.

My question is about where the line is between “reasonable” luxury and disordered luxury.

As I said, I am a businessman, and I would consider myself upper middle class. I have a large four-bedroom house in a safe area.
I drive a Volvo SUV (because they are among the safest cars).
I am very health-conscious, so I try to ensure that the food my family eats is high quality and organic (which is more expensive).
I spend a significant amount of money on health insurance.
I also keep a “significant” emergency fund to cover difficult months in business and/or possible family health emergencies.
My children attend private Catholic schools and/or military academies (which are also quite expensive).
My wife does not work.

Up to this point, I feel that I am fulfilling my role as a father and provider for my family.

But then we also have:

TV, A PS5, iPhones , Branded clothes (especially for the children). And I wear high-quality suits

We also enjoy luxuries such as at least one trip per year (all Inclusive), weekly dinners out, and similar things.

The problem is that when I read some of the Church Fathers, it almost seems as though literally anything beyond what is strictly necessary for survival is sinful, because it should instead be given to the poor.

I also try to donate around 15% of everything I earn.

I do not want to become excessively scrupulous, but neither do I want to fall into the mistake of the rich young man, who followed God in everything except charity and detachment from wealth.

Does anyone have a perspective they could share?

How do the Orthodox view money? Or rather, luxury?

Hello, I am Catholic, but I have great respect for the Orthodox Church.

My question is: what is the Orthodox view on luxury?

I have been struggling a lot with this topic because, honestly, anything beyond:

• a roof over your head
• enough food to survive
• and clothes on your body

can be considered luxury.

So, as Christians, can we have cars, houses, several branded clothes, travel, and money in the bank as long as we are generous?

Or are we supposed to try to live close to the poverty line?

I would like to know your opinion!

To what extent can a Catholic be rich and have luxuries without it being considered sinful? Luxury is not necessarily a Ferrari or 1 million dollars in the bank. Anyone living in a developed country is already privileged.

For example, I am a businessman, I own designer clothes, I have a sports car, I live in an area considered luxurious, I enjoy dining out, etc. Am I doing something wrong?

I am struggling to understand at what point investing, having luxury, money, etc. becomes disordered.

I know of several Church Fathers who chose to live in poverty… is that something a Catholic is supposed to desire or do?

What is the difference between committing 1 mortal sin vs 2 mortal sins?
Or a more serious sin versus a less serious sin?

In other words, let’s suppose someone is living in cohabitation (already sinning), but fornication is worse. In practical terms, what does that mean? More time in purgatory?

Thank you.

What is the meaning of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?

And what does it mean to love God more than one’s father or mother?

Can you explain what these teachings mean in practice?

How does a person actually live out, in daily life, loving God “with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength”?
And what does it practically mean to love God more than one’s father or mother?

is it about a feeling? Obedience?

Thank you.

I lived the last 2 years of my life in sin.
Worse than that, a sin of presumption… I knew what I was doing was wrong, I knew the right path, and yet out of pride/disordered attachment I did not abandon the sin. I remained in a near occasion of sin without necessity (and so I sinned).

The biggest problem is that I was sinning with the intention that, when circumstances changed and my situation became stable, I would confess so I could return to a state of grace.

But I feel that my confession will not be valid because, in essence, I would be getting exactly what I wanted through presumption—meaning I sinned when it suited me and now I ask for forgiveness and everything is fine.

Throughout the entire time I was sinning I felt a burden of conscience, not out of fear of hell but because I was offending God. However, due to weakness I did not leave the sin, and I always kept in mind: “in the future I will fix the situation.”

Extra: I continued living together with my girlfriend knowing it was a sin, intending only to confess immediately before getting married.

I started dating at 16 years old.

At 24, we decided to move in together, and we did so.

At 25, we converted, started going to church, reading the Bible, and praying together. After a few months, we realized we would need to live in chastity until marriage.

However, during that time (about 1.5 years until the wedding), we continued sleeping in the same bed, even though we knew it was extremely wrong, and we fell a few times into the sin of fornication because of it.

Now that we are married, I am afraid I may not be able to make a sincere confession.

Because before marriage I felt bad about the situation of sin, but I still did not have the intention to stop sinning, how can I have it now? How do I know that if it were today and I were still not married, I would have that intention?

I already have an appointment to speak with a priest next week, but I am worried I won’t be able to explain myself properly.

Thank you.

I started dating at 16 years old.

At 24, we decided to move in together, and we did so.

At 25, we converted, started going to church, reading the Bible, and praying together. After a few months, we realized we would need to live in chastity until marriage.

However, during that time (about 1.5 years until the wedding), we continued sleeping in the same bed, even though we knew it was extremely wrong, and we fell a few times into the sin of fornication because of it.

Now that we are married, I am afraid I may not be able to make a sincere confession.

Because before marriage I felt bad about the situation of sin, but I still did not have the intention to stop sinning, how can I have it now? How do I know that if it were today and I were still not married, I would have that intention?

I already have an appointment to speak with a priest next week, but I am worried I won’t be able to explain myself properly.

Thank you.

Let us imagine that during my relationship I live in a situation that is an occasion of sin (I sleep in the same bed as my girlfriend, chastely), and I do nothing to change it, until I get married, even though I know it is sinful. I remain in this situation until marriage.

After getting married, how can I make a valid confession?

I know that what I did was wrong, but I also knew it at the time I was doing it, and I did not care. The only thing that changed was the circumstances changing, and only because of that I no longer continue in the sin.

Extra note: If it were today, I would likely have chosen to marry earlier in order not to live in that situation of wrongdoing. However, I still believe that under the same circumstances, I would have made the same decision I made then.