This is a delicate question, edit as you like or don't publish at all, but I would appreciate very much your advice. I spent the night at my daughter's new house in a distant city which she shares with 3 other roommates. One roommate is a non-practicing Catholic and I know from her mother (who is distraught about it) that she is on the pill. This girl, like my own daughter, was raised in a devout home and her mother spends every Saturday morning doing sidewalk counseling. The girl knows about the abortifacient effects of the pill, etc. Her mother has tried many times to correct her to no avail. Actually, 2 weeks earlier, I had given the girl a copy of Christopher West's book, Good News About Sex and Marriage, but she refused it.

During my visit, I was awakened in the middle of the night and became aware that the roommate was having sex with a guy she met 2 weeks ago. I am alarmed that my daughter, aged 23 and a good practicing Catholic, is subjected to this disgusting disturbance. I don't know what is my responsibility to the roommate's soul and I wonder at the damage this may do to my own daughter.

I did not say anything the next day, other than to tell her how lovely Mass was when we returned from church. Since her mother has tried repeatedly to admonish her and has been unsuccessful, what is my role, now that I am a witness to her sins? My daughter believes that her own role is to be a good example by making it known that she does not "sleep" with her boyfriend and she does not admonish her. She feels that her example is enough. My daughter signed a rental lease and is legally bound to live there for one year. Any advice? Thank you and God bless you!

Dear Anonymous

I would have to agree with your daughter who, by her example and her practice of what she preaches, is doing more for this wayward young woman than any amount of fraternal correction. When she rejected your offer of the book she was admitting that she knows that what she is doing is wrong and does not want to search for ways to avoid the opposite because she is having "fun." So, I suggest you follow your daughter's lead on this.

Pray for the young woman and for your daughter, who is clearly a pillar of trust in God.

Judie Brown

COPYRIGHT 2013

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