Case XLV: The Burial of Suicides

Since cases involving the question of burying suicides are not infrequent, it will be well to give a brief statement of the principles which must govern the priest’s procedure under such circumstances.

Christian burial, which includes the obsequies prescribed by the Church, and depositing the corpse in consegrated ground, the cemetery, constitutes a distinction in the view of the Church not only, but also of the faithful, and it can only be accorded to those who, during life and at their death, showed themselves to be true members of the Church, and therefore worthy of this distinction. This manifestly is not true of those who, of sound mind and therefore with premeditation and intention, make away with themselves, and thus not only cause sorrow to the Church, but give great scandal to the faithful. By his crime the suicide forfeits the distinction of Christian burial and it would be unjust, and would provike scandal, if he, in regard to Christian burial, were given equality with those members of the Church who depart this life in the faith and reconciled to God.

Christian burial is a privilege of the faithful also by reason of their communion with the Church, which, according to her teaching, is not terminated by death, but continues after the same. The true Catholic is in his last hour at one with the Church; he receives from her hand the last fortifying, the last consolation upon the final, decisive road. It is therefore a natural and logical consequence that those who have shown themselves unworthy of this ecclesiastical communion, be it during life by a conduct that incurs censure (and which, through the fault of the deceased, has not been removed), or be it in death, by commission of a grievous crime which the Church punishes with deprivation of Christian burial, have lost the right to such burial. Suicide is such a crime which the Church punishes with the refusal of Christian burial, in order to indicate that those who commit it cannot continue in her communion, and, also, to inspire her children with a great horror of this crime.

The Roman ritual contains the following clear and distinct directions: The parish priest ought not to be ignorant of those who by the law itself are to be excluded from ecclesiastical burial, lest he ever admit anyone to it contrary to the decrees of the sacred canons. Ecclesiastical burial is therefore denied ... to those who kill themselves through despair or anger, but not if it happens through insanity, unless (such suicides) gave signs of repentance before death.

Manifestly there is here made distinction in regard to the unfortunates who commit suicide. There are those who, in the state of insanity, of hypochondria, or of melancholy, therefore while of unsound mind, take their lives; to such unfortunates Christian burial cannot be denied, because their act was neither premeditated nor undertaken in full possession of reason, and therefore not culpable; indeed, according to the decision of the Congregation of the Holy Office (ddto. May 16, 1866), they may even be buried with solemn ceremonies.

To the other class belong those who commit suicide with design and premeditation, in a conscious and sane state of mind, in culpable despair or anger. If it is certain that the deed was done in soundness of mind, and with the full use of reason, with full knowledge and intention, then Christian burial, as any other ecclesiastical function, even the ordinary blessing of the corpse, must be denied. In this case Christian burial would manifestly be a violation of the law; it would be a weakening of Church discipline and of the religious sentiment of the faithful, who would be scandalized by such burial, as experience has shown. Nevertheless the Church, ever solicitous for the salvation of her members, uses even in regard to these iniquitous unfortunates, utmost indulgence and consideration. If such persons do not die in the commission of the deed, and if before dying they give signs of repentance, if they ask for the priest, or, perhaps, even receive the Sacraments, then the Church does not refuse them Christian burial. (Rit Rom. I. c.)

When, on the contrary, it remains doubtful, after careful inquiry into the matter, whether the deed occurred with full consciousness and in sane mind, then the suicide’s irresponsibility is presumed, because it is not supposed that anyone in sound mind and unimpaired use of reason would commit so grievous and unnatural a crime as premeditated suicide, and deal with his greatest earthly good, his life, so malevolently. In such a case the deceased may be allowed Christian burial, according to the principle: Odiosa sunt restringenda, omitting, however, solemnity and display.

If for some reasons it appears doubtful whether a suicide should be refused or allowed Christian burial, the case with detailed information should be laid before the ordinary, and his decision observed.

The principles here briefly set forth governing the burial of suicides are specifically contained in the quoted decision of the Congregation of the Holy Office, of which we will insert here, on account of their great practical significance the chief points: “Parish priests are to be admonished that in individual cases, insofar as possible, they have recourse to the Ordinary. The rule is that it is not lawful to give ecclesiastical burial to those who kill themselves through despair or anger (but not if it happens through insanity), unless before death they gave signs of repentance.

Furthermore.

1. When it is certainly established that the act arose either from anger or from despair, ecclesiastical burial must be denied and the pomp and solemnities of the funeral rites must be avoided;

2. but when insanity is certainly established, ecclesiastical burial with the solemnities of the funeral rites is to be given;

3. Yet when a doubt remains whether someone gave himself death through despair or through insanity, ecclesiastical burial may be given, but with the pomp and solemnities of the funeral rites avoided.

If these principles about the burying of suicides are rigidly observed and explained to the faithful on suitable opportunities, mistakes in the pastoral practise will not be easily made, and criticism and unpleasantness will be avoided.

Dr. Anton Brychta.