Why it’s so difficult for Catholic priests to eulogize suicide

The Archdiocese of Detroit reacted almost as quickly, issuing a formal apology for the fact that the priest “was unable to bring comfort to a grieving family.” It announced that LaCuesta will not deliver homilies at funerals for the foreseeable future, will have his other homilies reviewed, and will receive professional help “to probe how and why he failed to effectively address the grief of the family in crisis.” The archdiocese also released a copy of LaCuesta’s full homily online.

Now, however, some Catholics are pushing back against the demonization of what they argue is a perfectly appropriate funeral message. “God bless Fr. LaCuesta,” Edward Peters, a professor of canon law at a Catholic seminary in Detroit, wrote on his blog. “Flatly contrary to how LaCuesta’s homily has been portrayed in the media, I don’t see Hell mentioned anywhere, anywhere. … Instead I see clarion reminders of the mercy of Christ recited at least half-a-dozen times.” An editor at the conservative Catholic news outlet EWTN tweeted that the homily was as good as any priest could conceive for the circumstances, adding that “the attacks on him by the family are grievously unjust, and hierarchical reprimands are scandalous.” Another site described LaCuesta as “muzzled” by his archdiocese.