I wonder how old the priest is. Any NM Dopers out there that have heard about this.
I wonder what Jack Chick must be thinking…
On the one hand, spouting about hellfire at the funeral of someone less rabid than yourself is a great masturbatory fantasy…
…But on the other hand, the priest was a Catholic…
On the one hand, I believe the family because the chances of a random mass hallucination are pretty slim.
OTOH, wtf?? How long has the priest been in that parish, and what’s his history with the guy? Is the priest senile or a drinker? Was the guy a serial rapist and kept confessing it and only the priest knew it?
Legally, I’m not sure if they have a case. Certainly the priest was out of line and his bishop should clear him out of there if its true and get him some psychiatric help, but I’ve never heard of a canon rule that you have to make nice at a funeral, because who the hell would think you’d have to pass arule like that? It’s common sense and part of the profession. I’ve seen funerals where the family said some pretty rough stuff, but the priest is supposed to smile and say the right things.
And I don’t see where any civil laws have been broken, or what exactly any secular court can do.
OK, on the one hand, it was a very nasty thing to say.
On the other hand, at least he was being honest. I mean, how often to priests and preachers go out and say the generic boring things they always say. Sounds like this priest knew his material, eh? 
Nothing like the personal touch for a memorable occaision.
OK, on the one hand, it was a very nasty thing to say.
On the other hand, at least he was being honest. I mean, how often to priests and preachers go out and say the generic boring things they always say. Sounds like this priest knew his material, eh? Nothing like the personal touch for a memorable occaision.
There is an equal chance, of course that the priest was is (a) nuts, (b) senile, (c) a drunken sot taking out his aggression. I cannot imagine a rational person doing this, out of sheer self-preservation instinct, if nothing else.
Well, that would be an ecumenical question.
Well, that would be an ecumenical question.
The old man had passed on. A wonderful funeral was in progress and the country priest talked at length of the good traits of the deceased, what an honest man he was, and what a loving husband and kind father he was.
Finally, the widow leaned over and whispered to one of her children, “Go up there and take a look in the coffin and see if that’s your father.”
Yeeeesh! I sure hope they discover that Mansfield was drunk.
He’s the flippin’ vocations director (bottom of the page) for the diocese. (This generally indicates a rather young guy with some advanced education, so we are probably not talking about some crotchety old crank, hauled out of retirement to fill in the gaps at funerals. Having dug up the web site, I see that my guess was pretty close.)
Now, I’m willing to hold off complete condemnation until I hear the whole story (I have seen a single misunderstood remark by a priest blown out of proportion with lots of stuff invented about the incident), but I doubt that this is a complete fabrication.
Just a heads-up, Shirley, in case you didn’t know:
The Mods frown on cutting and pasting the full text of an article, due to copyright concerns. You might want to email one and get them to edit your post.
What a horrible thing to say at someone’s funeral! You see, THIS is why I have made it clear to my family I want a non-religious funeral!
I agree with Mehitabel.
I would be very hesitant indeed to ask a secular court to enforce some rule as to what a priest could say at a religious service. Even if it was as offensive as this.
Regards,
Shodan
Legally it’s going to be a question of damages. The family is going to have to show that the priests comments affected them in a way that merits pecuniary remuneration.
Regardless of the viability of a lawsuit, the comments by the priest (if accurately reported) were obviously crass and inappropriate. Funerals are for the living, not the dead. The responsibilty of clergy is to comfort the survivors. The priest’s private speculations as to the final dispensation of the soul of the departed are irrelevant to the proceedings. Regardless of his opinions about the dead guy, this priest showed contempt for the feelings of the survivors. He did this publicly and at a moment of great emotional vulnerability for the family. I would hope that he would be disciplined by his diocese and that he would be required to undergo some remedial training as to the responsibilties of a priest at a funeral.
A friend’s 22-year-old son committed suicide last year while in a serious depression. Thank heaven, the priest at HIS funeral was incredibly sensitive, talking right up-front about how this young man died of a horrible illness, depression, and was now healed and in God’s hands. It was incredibly comforting to the family.
While I’m not sure a lawsuit is the right venue, this certainly sounds like an incident that needs looking into by somebody!
Boy, I shudder to think what the priest will say at your funeral if THAT’S your attitude! 
Hopefully, that I was a good person, and although not religious, lead a good life.
makes you wonder what that priest was thinking, cursing out a former town councilman…
<cheesy Letterman special effect>
“That’ll teach that Bastard for turning down my Hot Tub variance. Kept me from hosting the NAMBLA Spring Cook-Out for the third year in a row. Burn in HELL you prudish Rat Bastard!!!”
Anyone else misreading the OP title as “Pirate tells family…”? Just me? Oh…
You forgot (d) a spurned lover. 
A funeral is no place for the truth.