Dear John:

Being an enabler, per se, is not a sin unless it is enabling a sin. The Catechism states:

1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:

- by participating directly and voluntarily in them;

- by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;

- by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;

- by protecting evil-doers.

1869 Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another and causes concupiscence, violence, and injustice to reign among them. Sins give rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to the divine goodness. "Structures of sin" are the expression and effect of personal sins. They lead their victims to do evil in their turn. In an analogous sense, they constitute a "social sin.

If your daughter is on SSI, it means she is disabled and cannot work. If she could work the SSI would not have been approved. Her behavior, as you describe it, appear to indicate a mental illness issue. In any case, she is disabled by virtue of the government certifying her for SSI. SSI is not that easy to get.

As for telephone sales jobs, few are able to maintain that kind of work. I challenge you or any one of our readers to try it. It is not easy. One has to have a certain kind of personality to be successful doing that. Given your description of your daughter, it is highly unlikely she could do that sort of work.

I suggest that you accept the apparent fact that your daughter is disabled. It is difficult dealing with a child with emotional problems, I know, but charity and love require parents and family to understand and do their best to deal with the inevitable frustrations.

We should not enable dysfunctional behavior, even among the emotionally disabled, but we cannot blame them for their disabilities. We need to positively respond to the dysfunctions to help them, to lead them, into more productive behavior. But, this does not mean the person will ever be able to work.

We will be praying for your, your daughter, and the whole family.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary