Robert Henry Brom

The Most Reverend  Robert Henry Brom
Bishop of San Diego
See	San Diego
Enthroned	July 10, 1990
Predecessor	Leo Thomas Maher
Other posts	Bishop of Duluth (1983-89)
Orders
Ordination	December 18, 1963
Consecration	May 23, 1983
Personal details
Born	September 18, 1938(1938-09-18) Arcadia, Wisconsin
Nationality	American
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church

Robert Henry Brom (born September 18, 1938) is a U.S. bishop. He was the seventh Roman Catholic Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth in Duluth, Minnesota between 1983 until 1989 when he was appointed to be the fourth Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego in San Diego, California.

Styles of Robert Henry Brom
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	Not applicable

Early life

Brom was born in Arcadia, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin on September 18, 1938. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona in Winona, Minnesota on December 18, 1963. On March 25, 1983, Brom was appointed the Roman Catholic Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth. On May 23, 1983, Brom was ordained a bishop.

On May 1, 1989, Brom was appointed as coadjutor bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego. July 10, 1990, he was installed as Bishop of San Diego.

Abuse scandal

Main article: Sexual abuse scandal in San Diego diocese

The Diocese of San Diego, under Brom, was saddled with a $198 million dollar settlement for the alleged abuse of numerous victims by priests serving in the diocese since the founding of the diocese in 1935.

High Schools and Other Developments

As bishop, Robert Brom is responsible for the creation of two Catholic high schools: Mater Dei Catholic High School in Chula Vista, California, which replaced Marian Catholic High School in Imperial Beach, California, and Cathedral Catholic High School in Carmel Valley, California, which replaced University of San Diego High School. He is also responsible for the creation of a Pastoral Center on Paducah Drive in San Diego after selling the former Chancery to the University of San Diego.

Spiritual Values, Politics, and the Media

Robert Brom has been considered a moderate-conservative on faith and moral issues. In 2005, he refused to offer a funeral Mass for John McCusker, owner of a gay dance club, Club Montage, in San Diego. Bishop Brom stated the decision was made to avoid "public scandal."^{[citation needed]} After a public outcry, Brom met with McCusker's mother and agreed to offer a private Mass for the family only at a later date.^{[citation needed]}

Politically, Brom is registered Independent.^{[citation needed]}

Except for a few interviews at the beginning of his leadership in the diocese, Brom prefers to speak to the media through press releases.

Coadjutator appointed to Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego

On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, announced that the Pope Benedict XVI, had appointed Auxiliary Bishop Cirilo Flores of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange as the Coadjutor Bishop to Bishop Brom in the Diocese of San Diego. This means that he will serve as Bishop Brom's chief Vicar General and will also automatically succeed him as diocesan Bishop when Bishop Brom, 73, resigns, retires, dies, or becomes incapacitated (Bishops must normally offer their letter of resignation to the Pope for possible acceptance when they turn 75, though the Pope can defer this, typically for up to a year or two, even with a successor already named).

Notes

Episcopal lineage
Consecrated by:	John Robert Roach
Consecrator of
Bishop	Date of consecration
Salvatore J. Cordileone	August 21, 2002

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Paul Francis Anderson	Bishop of Duluth 1983–1989	Succeeded by Roger Lawrence Schwietz
Preceded by Leo Thomas Maher	Bishop of San Diego 1990–Present	Succeeded by Incumbent