Regarding the downloading of pirated PDFs...
Dear brothers and sisters, and everyone else reading this thread. I have been striving to grow in holiness, making a sincere effort to sin less and avoid offending God.
This is a daily spiritual battle for me, as I believe it is for all of us. I frequently wrestle with my conscience, seeking the light of Sacred Tradition and Doctrine to discern what is right.
To give you some background, I am a low-income student from a family that couldn't provide me with a proper education.
The primary way I manage to study and learn is through digital books, such as PDFs and ePubs. However, I face a moral dilemma because civil copyright laws prohibit downloading these files for free.
Despite this, I still download them, as certain works are absolutely essential for my academic progress. Their prices are exorbitant and out of my reach, and I have no access to affordable alternatives or local libraries.
I know the Church teaches that "the ends do not justify the means," and I fully agree with that principle. However, I wonder if the principle of necessity applies here, where violating a property right brings immense good.
At the same time, I am very aware that producing these books requires hard work and great effort from the authors. I intend, once I have a reasonable income in the future, to stop this practice and acquire the books legally.
My goal is to understand what is right not through a cold, literal reading of the law or a simple "no" from the Catechism. Instead, I want to approach this through the lens of Epikeia (equity).
Main question: Would it be a grave sin for me to do this?
Thank you for your time, and may God bless you all abundantly.