In the olden days, those who committed suicide were not allowed to be given an ecclesiastical funeral. The people then were into the idea that since it was God who gave us life, it is He who has all the right to take it away. Although, this maxim still holds up to this day, the post-Conciliar Church, with the advancement made by the sciences, has become more lenient with their laws regarding people who committed suicide. The present Code of Canon Law which governs the whole Church of God, states in Canon 1184 §1:
Unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals:
1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics;
2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith;
3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.
So how do we look at the case of the late Sec. Angelo Reyes? Should he be given an ecclesiastical funeral?
