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Contents © 2005
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

LETTERS
May 2005

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In the [Union-Tribune] article headlined "Gay porn shot at man's club, diocese says; Owner denied Catholic funeral because of 'business activities,'" Ernie Grimm, editor of San Diego News Notes, a monthly Catholic-oriented publication, said the bishop made "the correct decision." "To have a man with such a public record of sin memorialized in the Catholic Church would be incongruous with the teachings of the church," Grimm said.

It seems you are saying two things which I find difficult to agree with and find repulsive, unchristian, and at contradiction with the Catholic church's teachings for compassion for the least among us and to let him without sin cast the first stone.

One, you suggest that sinners are unwelcome in the Catholic Church. If one is a sinner, expect to be denied last rites and death with dignity in the eyes of the church (God will judge the individual — perhaps using a different standard than the church). Second, you suggest the Catholic Church has not and does not 'memorialize' sinners. The arrogant ignorance of that position suggests you have much to learn about the Church whose faith you profess to espouse. Oh ye of such little faith....

I trust you are not now nor shall you ever be a sinner — lest you be denied final rest in the bosom of your church. May you be judged by man for your sins at the time of your death as harshly as you condemn this human being. May God show you greater mercy.

G. Gibbs, Chicago, Illinois

Ernie Grimm responds: First, it's not a question of death with dignity and last rites. John McCusker had already died an undignified death due to drugs and alcohol, the autopsy showed. Since he was dead, last rites were no longer an option for him. Second, neither I nor Bishop Brom ever condemned John McCusker to damnation. I have prayed that God have mercy on McCusker's soul. And Bishop Brom made it very clear that his denial of the funeral was not a statement about McCusker's state in the next life, but a statement on how he lived his life here on earth. I applauded our bishop's decision to take a stand against the modern idea that you can live in very public opposition to church teachings, give tens of thousands of dollars to organizations which want to destroy the Church, and yet still expect that same Church to give you a formal funeral and burial. In reality, John McCusker, by the way he lived his life, denied himself a Catholic funeral.

LET US BEG GOD'S MERCY

What a heartbreaking pity and sorrow that John McCusker — age 31 at the time of his death last weekend — graduated from the University of San Diego, yet ended up running two "gay" bars.

Why did his Catholic higher education fail him to such extent that he ended up embracing, practicing and promoting homosexual sodomy? And why did his mother Christine, on a news report today, state that he was the way he was? What is wrong with a man who ends up practicing homosexuality after attending a so-called Catholic university, and what is wrong with a mother who accepts her son's unnatural inclinations as normal and unchangeable?

If John McCusker's life running two homosexual bars rampant with pornography, and the current controversy surrounding his death teaches us anything, it's that the Catholic Church has not done enough to properly instruct the ignorant and admonish the sinner. Let us beg God's forgiveness for neglecting these most basic spiritual works of mercy and redouble our efforts.

Allyson Smith, El Cajon

BROM CROSSED THE LINE

It was with disgust and anger I read in this morning's Boston Globe the article about Bishop Brom and his decision not to allow funeral rites for John McCusker. Bishop Brom has crossed the line on his attack of individuals who are gay and who he feels live and practice an immoral lifestyle. He has no idea of what transpired in the final moments of John McClusker's life and what connections John may have had spiritually in asking forgiveness of God for the sins he committed during his lifetime. Will Bishop Brom now prevent funerals for Catholics who have been divorced and remarried? Or for Catholic women who have either had abortions or use birth control? How about for those Catholic legislators who voted to allow U.S. troops to fight in an immoral war against Iraq? Last but not least, how about his fellow brethren, the priests and members of his hierarchy who knowingly practiced or allowed others to commit sexual abuse against children and teens for decades?

It is no wonder that Catholics are leaving the Church in droves. Bishop Brom is a hypocrite and obviously does not understand that Jesus taught us to forgive and love our fellow sinner. Shame on him!

CONCERNED ABOUT CHURCH'S PUBLIC IMAGE

As your publication may be writing articles about the recent death of John McCusker, please take the following comments into consideration. I am a conservative Catholic and am deeply concerned about what the public thinks after what occurred last week. Will the Diocese of San Diego be willing to not offer Catholics' funerals where the deceased member was involved with these types of business or club activities?

I realize that a member of the Church directly complained to the Diocese about John McCusker's situation, however it was up to the Church to decide whether or not banning a funeral for the McCusker family would be considered fair given the number of such pastoral actions in the past. John McCusker can't possibly be the only individual who qualifies for this in the past century.

Although the press release states that the action was not a condemnation of Mr. McCusker, it certainly seems this way to many of the general public and Catholics too. I have spoken to at least a few other conservatives who are also concerned about the future of the Church.

For the sake of the Catholic Church's image, I would hope that the Diocese of San Diego carefully considers such actions in the future (unless a moral background check will become a prerequisite for all Catholic funerals).

[No name provided.]

Ernie Grimm responds: I, too, am concerned about the Church's future (though less so now that the Holy Spirit has placed Benedict XVI on the Chair of Peter.) But I think the Church, in the long run, can only benefit from its bishops taking strong stands in favor of church teaching over public image.

BROM DID HIS JOB

Bishop Robert Brom is to be congratulated for his recent decision [to deny a Catholic funeral to John McCusker.] Those who claim the bishop is intolerant or that all persons who self-identify as Catholic have a right to a Catholic funeral are simply wrong. Canon law clearly identifies who should be denied a Catholic funeral. Practicing Catholics should know these doctrines. Granted, many non-Catholics do not understand Canon Law, but that does not lend itself to calling Bishop Brom intolerant.

John Giery, La Mesa

ESPEDAL IS A CHAUVINIST

As I write this letter, I join the many Roman Catholics around the world mourning the death of John Paul II. We will likely not see a man of his caliber for a long time.

As a non-Catholic, I have long admired the Pope's wide influence in so many matters, moral, religious and political. Retrospectives of his life have emphasized his interest in ecumenical matters. Indeed, he reached out to Jews, Protestants, Moslems, and so many others.

No wonder, then, that I read with dismay Stanford Espedal's review of Ascension Parish, Tierrasanta, in his column, "Roamin' Catholic" in the April issue of News Notes. I sympathize with his dislike of the modern architecture and liturgical styles of many contemporary churches. But he goes on to compare Ascension parish with Tierrasanta Lutheran Church, which stands "next door."

A quick survey of the area will show that Tierrasanta Lutheran Church is manifestly not "next door" to Ascension Parish. Next-door is the Tierrasanta Seventh-day Adventist Church. This short strip of land boasts three churches — Lutheran, Adventist and Catholic — in that order. Did Espedal simply dismiss the presence of a Christian congregation? Does he ignore Adventists as somehow unworthy of mention? Not only does this betray the ecumenical spirit of John Paul II, but it also betrays a religious chauvinism that does no credit to your "Roamin' Catholic."

In fact, all three churches get along just fine. They cooperate, communicate, and maintain friendly relations with each other. Disagree with Adventist doctrine if you will, but let's not dismiss their presence with a simple wave of the hand. It violates simple human decency, and lessens the good done by the late Pope in fostering friendly and collegial relations between the world's religious bodies.

Jeffrey Needle, Chula Vista

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