Though priests can be prosecuted for criminal behavior, I've never heard of one being sued for cruel preaching.

If my memory of Church law is any good, Mr. Martinez's absence from Sunday Mass for over a year could be interpreted as 52+ mortal sins, so the sermon could be considered technically correct, though lacking in Christian kindness.

So what's the charge? Breach of contract? Malfeasance in office? Does Father Obnoxious get to be tried by a jury of his peers, i.e., priests? If not, will a jury of average Americans be called upon to interpret Catholic dogma? And what's the dollar value on a return ticket from Hell?

That poor family. We have people around here who have told my children, when they were small, that their grandparents were going to Hell just for being Catholic, so I know how upsetting those kinds of public pronouncements can be, let alone coming at a funeral from the pulpit. The bishop needs to make a statement. There's no excuse for this.

But there's no grounds for a civil suit either. Civil courts can't rule on canon law.

Regards--
Mary Anne