Rev. Don LaCuesta
Posted on 07/12/2021 6:10:04 PM PDT by marshmallow
TEMPERANCE, Mich. (AP) — A priest who criticized a teenager’s suicide during his funeral is protected by the religion clauses of the First Amendment, the Michigan Court of Appeals said.
The court affirmed a decision by a Monroe County judge who had dismissed a lawsuit by the mother of Maison Hullibarger.
The 18-year-old, who was an athlete and honors student in the Monroe area, died in 2018. Mourners were shocked when the Rev. Don LaCuesta gave a critical sermon. He said suicide was a “secular crime” and a “sin against God with dire eternal consequences.”
Linda Hullibarger sued the priest and the Detroit Archdiocese, alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and other claims. She said LaCuesta had reneged on an agreement to celebrate her son’s life.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Stupid lawsuit and should have been dismissed out of thre gate
He didn’t die. He killed himself. Huge difference
still a horrible thing for priest to say
By law yes, “innocent”, but I do not think the funeral was the place to comment on religious ideas about suicide. It cannot comfort the living nor change the life-stream of the deceased.
Personally, I am a mugwump on the issue - between the pros and cons and swimming in compassion and sympathy for those who come to that cross in the road, hoping they find G-d’s peace as their answer.
I agree with the courts on this one.
Wrong time and audience for the priest’s message, unless some of them were considering suicide, too.
Forgot to add that this is not lawsuit-worthy. Hurt feelings aren’t worth taking to court.
I suspect the priest provided many positive comments but also felt the need to warn many of the young people attending about the consequences. One suicide can lead to others attempting suicide.
Do you make agreements with a priest about the service? Funerals at a church, where I assume this was, are religious services.
Should have had him buried with the Unitarians, UCC, Episcopalians, etc.
It’s not a stupid lawsuit. If there were lawsuits about the protesters at soldiers’ funerals holding up signs saying,”God hates fags,” then a priest saying this at the service is offensive too.
What an awful thing to say. He’s sure not the priest I’d ever want to console me in my time of sorrow or need.
I believe you are right that he did deliver an uplifting celebration of the young man's life, but he sure could have addressed the theological issues more sensitively.
Rev. Don LaCuesta
The mourners will be told they are going to Hell.
Went to only one Baptist funeral, never again.
Are there such successful suits? I don’t think so
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
Being “offensive” is not actionable. The priest’s comments were in accord with church teaching. Suicide is contagious among young people these days. As others have said, the priest’s comments may have saved someone else’s life. I’ve not seen it reported that the family asked the priest to abstain from mentioning church teaching. Absent that, I can’t criticize him for doing so
What a horrible thing to say during a funeral. If I were the dad, I’d have a hard time not jap slappin this guy.
Good. And this tells you a lot about the mother. Like why her son was so screwed up!
Oh I remember the threads about this when it happened. Plenty of people blasted the priest. Plenty more defended the priest for upholding Catholic dogma.
Heated threads.
I went to a Baptist funeral one time. The preacher made an altar call.
That if anyone in attendance has not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior please raise your hand, confess Jesus is Lord, and ask him to come into your heart.
Hoo boy.
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