Denial

My purpose here isn’t necessarily to discuss the larger case.  (For background on the case, see here.)   The short version of events is that an off duty sheriff’s deputy killed 6 people and took his own life over a dispute with a former girlfriend.  This happened in a small community called Crandon that is north of Green Bay, WI, in a county that borders Michigan.  Shortly after this event, the press noted that a local church would perform the funeral for this man, since he could not be buried in the Catholic Church due to suicide.  This prompted the diocese to issue a press release saying that they would have offered this man a funeral.  The only clear part in this part of the exchange is that the press release was prompted by media reports.  Whether the initial claim was made based on the reporter’s personal and incorrect knowledge, on incorrect speculation from the family to the reporter, or on relaying information the pastor had told the family is not clear.  I should also add that Green Bay’s bishop was recently installed in Pittsburgh.  Archbishop Dolan of Milwaukee has been named apostolic administrator, but there is no indication that this statement was composed or even specifically approved by him.

I was unable to find the statement on the diocese’s website.  The only quoted portion I have is this: “The Catholic Church does allow the burial of someone who commits suicide; in fact, it has special prayers for such persons.”   This is obviously correct as far as it goes.  I think it is worth pointing out that denial of a funeral mass would have been defensible, even if one wouldn’t have insisted on refusal himself.  Given the limits of what has been revealed to us in teaching and in this man’s life on earth, I think hope of salvation would have to be extra-revelatory.  I don’t offer that with ease.  It is the same hope I have for my now passed father.

How does one reconcile this with the zeal to deny sacraments?  I confess to not being opposed to denying communion to those whose opposition to Christ is manifest.  But I’m afraid I’m also in a minority when it comes to telling a grieving mother or father that we are limited by what has been revealed.