Because instead of having his burial mass thru St Basils Parrish where he attended all those years he was buried thru St Paul's Monastery in Pittsburgh's South side which was mentioned in his obit. Why? and what would this have to do with suicide .
When your catholic or orthodox and you commit suicide it is seen as a mortal sin you are not allowed a traditional catholic mass at church you attend and are not allowed to be buried in a catholic cemetery this was the rule up until late 80's until views started to change with an understanding of mental illness. . Yes horrific as this sounds I just went thru this with a customer and friend who was Orthodox Christian and committed suicide after suffering years of horrific pain and his family had to get a letter from his personal physician stating the fact he was in such physical and emotional pain so that he could be buried with his parents at the orthodox cemetery after the local bishop took the letter into consideration and allowed it.
However with this easing of restrictions over time with suicide which allows burial in a cemetery and some times a mass in home church many funerals are still conducted at St Paul's Monastery.
While the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches may see this as a sin and as a way to discourage suicides just who are they to judge the person who commits suicide ?Its gods job to judge not the churches . Often like in my friends case they are in such horrifying pain and emotional distress they are out of their own control and relief from what they are suffering is all they crave . Yes its insensitive of them for what they put their family's and friends thru but until you have walked in there shoes there is no understanding.
This is just one of many case where the church hurts those it supposedly trys to help. My great Grandfather and Great Grandmother are buried in separate cemetery because he was not catholic
just one of the many insults to human dignity faith brings with it. .
