'Father, please stop': Parents horrified after priest used teen's funeral to condemn suicide

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

‘Father, please stop’: Parents horrified after priest used teen’s funeral to condemn suicide

By Katie Mettler
December 14 at 8:23 PM

When Maison Hullibarger died by suicide on Dec. 4, his parents — devout Catholics — began planning a funeral that would celebrate their 18-year-old son’s life.

He was a brother to five siblings, an athlete and teammate, a strong criminal justice student at the University of Toledo, and a passionate fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And because the priest at their Temperance, Mich., parish didn’t personally know their son, Jeffrey and Linda Hullibarger met with him before the funeral to discuss what they wanted in the homily.

The Hullibargers were detailed, they said, and Father Don LaCuesta took notes.

“We wanted him to celebrate how Maison lived," Linda Hullibarger told the Detroit Free Press, "not how he died.”

Instead, during the funeral at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, the Hullibargers listened from the pews as the priest spoke the word “suicide” six times. He told mourners, local media reported, that Maison may be denied admittance to heaven because of the way he died. LaCuesta wondered aloud, the Hullibargers said, if Maison had repented enough in the eyes of God.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2018/12/15/father-please-stop-parents-horrified-after-priest-used-teens-funeral-condemn-suicide/

[TreasonousBastard]

1. My grandmother was a devout Catholic, but she felt driven out of the church...

when my grandfather died and the priest told her exactly how many years he would spend in purgatory because he didn't go to church enough.

Not just Catholics, but all Christian clergy have an obligation to comfort their flock. Some just aren't very good at it. Or don't care.

[Mariana]

3. Did your grandmother disbelieve the priest?

Or, did she believe him but didn't want to be reminded how long her husband was going to suffer?

It's dreadful what the Church has done to this family. Its teaching about suicide and the fate of those who have taken their own lives is absolutely loathsome. I understand they are blaming the individual priest, but it doesn't sound like the priest said anything that conflicts with the official position of the Church. He was probably trying to save souls.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. I don't know. He died before I was born and my father told me the story. Knowing her as I did...

though, I suspect she was largely overwhelmed by the insensitivity and didn't care much whether or not it was true.

After all, she had no idea what was really going on after death and had no way to influence it anyway. It was all in the hands of God and nothing the priest could say would alter that, but what the priest could say would definitely affect a grieving widow.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. If you don't want to be offended, don't click on my post...

priest, you are a fucking evil motherfucker and IF there was a hell, one would hope you would burn it in forever. FUCK YOU!!

[Major Nikon]

5. Kinda like school in July

No class.

[MineralMan]

6. A Lousy Shepherd for His Congregation.

A bitter, angry man has no business priesting.

[Voltaire2]

7. Sick fuck.