Detroit priest's comments during suicide death funeral draws anger

DETROIT (AP) — The parents of a Michigan teenager will ask the local archdiocese to remove the priest who questioned whether their son would get to heaven following his suicide.

Eighteen-year-old Maison Hullibarger’s parents tell the Detroit Free Press that they plan to meet with Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron on Saturday.

The couple says the Rev. Don LaCuesta condemned their son while officiating his Dec. 8 funeral. The teen’s mother says the priest wondered aloud whether the teen had repented enough to reach heaven.

The couple wants LaCuesta to be removed as pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Temperance, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Detroit. They say they have letters from other people sharing complaints about LaCuesta.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit has apologized to the family.

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Information from: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com