Priest told mourners that young man may be kept out of heaven because of suicide

I have two thoughts on the issue. Firstly, a funeral service is not the time or place to inflict more spiritual aguish on a grieving family. The priest was highly insensitive and should be re-educated on this and similar issues. Secondly, a serious sin requires that the person committing the sin is in full understanding that it is a serious sin. In almost every case of suicide that I have been personally aware of there has been a greater or lesser suggestion of serious mental illness or defect.

Mountainmanbob said:

True but (if) is an important work.
M

Click to expand...

So what are you saying?

We can say without doubt, that a believer who commits suicide WILL be in heaven. John 10:28.

You seem to question it.

Suicide does not appear in the Bible.
Murder does.

1 Chronicles 28:9
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Suicide does not forsake God

Ron Gurley said:

Suicide does not appear in the Bible.
Murder does.

Click to expand...

Yes it does. Saul, who was a believer that was out of fellowship with the Lord......committed suicide. And was Gods discipline of the sin unto death for Saul. The Lord brought Saul home, because Saul refused to follow Gods plan for his life.

1 Sam 28~~ 17“The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORDhas torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. 18“As you did not obey the LORDand did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19“Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.


1 Ch 10:4~~New American Standard Bible
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and abuse me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Mountainmanbob said:

Poll seems to be split down the middle?

Click to expand...

It was a bad poll. The priest was probably right about some things (like the fact that not everybody goes to heaven) and wrong about others.

Mountainmanbob said:

Poll seems to be split down the middle?

I will call the goats in for the deciding votes.

M-Bob

Click to expand...

Are they of voting age?

Mountainmanbob said:

Parents say priest told mourners that son may be kept out of heaven over suicide: report

A Catholic priest in Michigan is facing criticism after he presided over the funeral of an 18-year-old who killed himself earlier this month and told mourners at the service that the teen may be kept out of heaven due to the way he died, reports said.

The parents want the priest who presided over his funeral removed after they say he disparaged and condemned their son during the service.

Click to expand...

People don't go to Heaven so the statement really has no impact other than to show that the priest doesn't really know the Bible.

How many ugly sins have you committed without realizing in the moment that it was a sin? What if you die while being rude to someone out of sudden anger? Will you miss Heaven then too? Someone that's able to throw all their survival instincts out the window is surely not in their right state of mind.

The priest, from what I know of this, was correctly relating catholic teaching on suicide. If i am correct then to ask for his removal is ridiculous. However, his lack of compassion ought to be reason for some sort of meeting with a superior. I had an uncle that was suspected of committing suicide and the parish priest only allowed him to be buried in consecrated ground after much discussion and allowing for the possibility that it was possibly an accident and not a suicide. Had my uncle left a suicide note, he would have not been buried in consecrated ground. This was in another time and my guess is the RCC's rules have been amended since then but I suspect that the teaching about suicide being a deal breaker for going to heaven may yet be in force.

Mountainmanbob said:

Parents say priest told mourners that son may be kept out of heaven over suicide: report

A Catholic priest in Michigan is facing criticism after he presided over the funeral of an 18-year-old who killed himself earlier this month and told mourners at the service that the teen may be kept out of heaven due to the way he died, reports said.

The parents want the priest who presided over his funeral removed after they say he disparaged and condemned their son during the service.

Click to expand...

It is very possible that he may be in hell as suicide is self murder and a mortal sin. It depends on his state of his mind when he did this. Only God knows for sure. Demons know and try to get people to kill themselves because they know its the closest they can get that soul to hell. Exorcist and demonologist like Adam Blai talked about this.

Priest are never allowed to canonize anyone who dies(although so many have at funerals its sickening). At the very least the priest should instruct all to pray for any departed soul who may be going through the pains of purgatory. No one who dies just be assumed to be in heaven and certainly not by clergy who have a moral and spiritual duty to proclaim truth and help the departed soul and the living to understand the danger of mortal sin.