Here is the thread that spurred this post:
http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/Was-this-wrong-and-sinfulSo we have yet *another* 24 year old who must needs stay at home with parents.
I have several friends in this situation -- it's an epidemic!
Here is what I wrote to the original poster, but this really applies to most young men (over 22) who still find themselves living with parents:
I agree with those who suggested moving out. You need to prioritize getting established enough to pay your own bills and live in your own house. It's not natural for a man of 24 to live under his parents' roof. A man has to be a man, stand up for his own principles, and be a leader more or less. It's hard to do that under another set of adults with their own beliefs, principles, and priorities.
Even if they were Traditional Catholics, your situation would be far from ideal. But the fact that they're objectively in error (Novus Ordo -- which is really another religion) makes living at home much worse.
Any further growth toward manhood will be stifled until you move out. That is the hard truth.
Your two parents brought you into this world, fed you baby food, cleaned up your messes when you were little, taught you how to use the toilet, and later on they helped you with school, taught you the Catholic Faith (ideally), and taught you countless other things as you grew up. Hopefully they made sure you got a drivers' license (some parents forget this step!) and advised you a bit on possible careers, college, etc.
But, frankly, at about 18 their work SHOULD be done. If you're not "grown up" now, you never will be. Or let's put it this way -- any further growing you need to do won't be with your parents' assistance. One way or another, their job is done.
In a normal world, every hard working (or non-lazy) man would be able to find work. I realize that isn't the case today -- but still, with a bit of effort, you should be able to find something. That might involve moving to another state, or require similar flexibility.
But that kind of sense of adventure is also a fundamental part of being a true man.
EDIT: Even if we grant that some men have an extremely hard time finding paid work, and that SOME cultures have constructs in place for multi-generational living, it doesn't change the point I'm trying to make.
It's a fact that in
American culture, we don't do multi-generational living. Isn't it a bit hokey to be American in every way, but then because you can't get a job, you say, "Um... in Europe they have several generations in one household!"
It sounds like a joke or something. You get in the car to drive to church, intending to get there on time. But you're terrified to drive, so you drive 10 miles an hour. When the passengers complain, you say, "Hey, the modern world has too quick of a pace. We need to remember to stop and smell the roses once in a while. We're not New York protestant businessmen..."
Would that be a valid point, or just an excuse for cowardice while driving?