Maison Hullibarger
Nearly a year after her 18-year-old son died, Linda Hullibarger is suing because the priest at the funeral said that her son, Maison, might not get to heaven because he took his life, Metro Times reports.
Hullibarger sued Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court, naming as defendants the priest, Rev. Don LaCuesta, the Detroit Archdiocese, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Temperance, Mich.
Hullibarger and her husband, of Monroe County, met with the priest before the Dec. 8, 2018, funeral, to make "very clear" that they wanted him "to deliver a positive, uplifting, and loving message" about their son, according to the lawsuit. Maison Hullibarger was a bright student, good athlete, and loving brother to five siblings, Steve Neavling reports.
After the service, the archdiocese issued a statement:
The Archdiocese of Detroit regrets that one of its parish priests was unable to bring comfort to a grieving family at the recent funeral of their beloved son. Our hope is always to bring comfort to situations of great pain, through funeral services centered on the love and healing power of Christ.
It also posted a copy of his sermon.
He was banned from presiding at funerals.
