Another perspective: The priest was preaching to the other young people in the audience.

Too often a suicide results in sympathetic responses.

So, he was attempting to stop others following the example.

And he took lots of shit for it.

How sad, even I, did not reflect more before responding.

Funerals nearly always turn into sermons in the Filthy, Dirty South. Unless it is conducted by a Unitarian or someone of a purely secular mindset. One my daughter's high school friends died in an accident shortly after she finished school.
She was Wicca and not Christian in the least, but the service was again a sermon and condemned her religion.
Her friends were very upset about this and gathered later to share memories and honor her in a way that would have been more suitable her wishes.
There is nothing that can match the cruelty of people that believe they are doing "god's will."

Of course not but neither am I ok with saying its ok because its not. It is a trgic waste of a life and should be condemned. Not in the he did so but condemned nevertheless

Another shit head that knows nothing of real life.

Given all the studies and information about self-death, I imagine i might have stood and called the priest a fucking asshole.

So what , if one believes in heaven that is their crutch to wear. I mean really. If you invite a priest then you are allowing their shit at the funeral. To actually believe in heaven is the error in the first place.

What sad is the man's father is right about this....."We're afraid that, like the Catholic Church does, they'll send him off and he'll do it to somebody else," Mr Hullibarger said. How deplorable of that man to speak of this child in such a heartless way.

Timing is everything. At the funeral, family members need comfort. Suicide is an issue that must be addressed but that was not the place and/or the time.

I am not sure that this is wrong. I used to go to grunge clubs in the 90s and there was a whole Kurt Cobain adoration thing going on. I used to tell them that Kurt was a dick head because we were there enjoying a drink and he was not.