A wife's final tribute to her NASCAR-loving husband has been rejected by an Indiana Catholic church after church officials determined the custom gravestone Shannon Carr bought for her late husband was not suitable for the church's century-old graveyard.
Carr is suing the church for refusing to install the headstone, which captures the late Jason Carr's interest in auto racing, the Indianapolis Colts, and the outdoors.
The custom gravestone reportedly cost $9,600 and was cut out of black stone in the shape of a couch and features pictures of a deer, a dog and colorized logos for NASCAR and the Colts.
Carr died in 2009 in an automobile accident.
The Rev. Jonathan Meyer, priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church, reportedly notified the maker of the headstone that it did not meet the cemetery's aesthetic standards and could not be placed in the graveyard, the Associated Press reported, citing the Indiana publication The Republic.
Shannon claimed she was never told she could not have the custom headstone placed in the graveyard and reportedly claims the church has not treated her family with compassion.
"They told her not to move forward with the purchasing of the monument, but she went ahead anyway," Meyer said, according to the AP. "We have consistently communicated the same message prior to the purchase and after the purchase. We did not think a granite couch was an appropriate monument in our historic cemetery."
The cemetery's rules were apparently formalized after Shannon bought the headstone but, Meyer said they were "known" before that.
The issues has apparently divided the church community.
"I haven't been back to (St. Joseph) church and have asked that I not be buried there along with my son," said Henry Carr, Jason father. "I'm told the controversy is splitting the church apart, tearing it in half. But I guess that's what has to be done."
According to Meyer, the pressure on the church to allow the unorthodox gravestone in the church's historic cemetery is a reflection of flaws in society today.
"Our culture breaks all the rules to make people feel good," Meyer said. "Faithful Christians know rules and regulations are set up so there can be good for everyone."
Photos of the custom gravestone can be found here.
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