Robert Brom
Robert Henry Brom was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Duluth in Minnesota, from 1983 to 1989, and as bishop of the Roman Catholic [Diocese of San Diego|Diocese of San Diego] in Southern California from 1990 to 2013.
Biography
Early life and priesthood
Brom was born in Arcadia, Wisconsin, on September 18, 1938. Brom was ordained a priest in Rome by Bishop Filippo Poccia for Diocese of Winona at the minor basilica of Sacro Cuore di Cristo Re on December 18, 1963.Bishop of Duluth
On March 25, 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Brom as bishop of Duluth. He was consecrated on May 23, 1983, by Archbishop John Roach at the Cathedral of [Our Lady of the Rosary (Duluth, Minnesota)|Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary] in Duluth, Minnesota.On April 22, 1989, John Paul II appointed Brom as coadjutor bishop of San Diego to assist Bishop Leo Maher.
Bishop of San Diego
On July 10, 1990, after John Paul II accepted Maher's resignation, Brom automatically became the new bishop of San Diego.On September 7, 2007, the diocese agreed to a $200 million settlement to victims of childhood sexual abuse by priests serving in the diocese since its founding in 1935. Brom apologized to the victims and said that the offenders' histories would be made public. Brom was responsible for the creation of two Catholic high schools:
- Mater Dei [Catholic High School (Chula Vista, California)|Mater Dei Catholic High School] in Chula Vista, California, replacing Marian Catholic High School in Imperial Beach, California
- Cathedral Catholic High School in Carmel Valley, California, replacing University of San Diego High School in Linda Vista, California
On January 4, 2012, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Vigano, announced that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Auxiliary Bishop Cirilo Flores as coadjutor bishop to assist Brom in the diocese.