Over 400 members of the community joined around the family of John McCusker Monday night at the LGBT Center in Hillcrest as his mother read an announcement from Catholic Bishop Robert Brom extending an apology for his decision to deny the family a Catholic funeral for their son. The Immaculata on the campus of the USD where McCusker attended school will now be the site of an additional Mass for John presided over by the Bishop at a date to be announced. A gathering in John’s memory is also planned for this 6pm this Friday evening at Trolley Barn Park on Adams Avenue. From the park a candlelight vigil will march to The Center where community and religious leaders will help put closure on the emotional week. Good Friday services held by the Metropolitan Community Church will follow with all welcome to attend. For more information, contact Nicole Murray-Ramirez at (619) 692-1967. —–—> Hillcrest resident and conservative activist James Hartline who alerted the bishop to McCusker’s gay business interests said he was surprised and disappointed by Brom’s reversal. “He emphatically stated to me he would not budge one bit.”
—–—> “James, please take my call,” Bishop Robert Brom said Tuesday into the answering machine of James Hartline, a converative Hillcrest activist who supported canceling the funeral Mass. “I have to explain how it’s all wrong and how I was done in. We need to talk and we need to meet. Please call me back immediately.” In a second message, the bishop sounded more urgent: “This is Bishop Brom begging you to call me back. I did not cave in. I stood for our position, and I still do, but I need to explain, and I need your help.”
“Say what you mean, mean what you say, and let the chips fall where they may.”
