Robert Brom

Under Bishop Brom the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego agreed to a $198.1 million settlement to victims of childhood sexual abuse by priests serving in the diocese since its founding in 1935. Bishop Brom apologized and said that the offenders' histories would be made public.[3]

Bishop Brom was responsible for the creation of two Catholic high schools: Mater Dei Catholic High School in Chula Vista, which replaced Marian Catholic High School in Imperial Beach, and Cathedral Catholic High School in Carmel Valley, which replaced University of San Diego High School in Linda Vista. He was 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.

On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, announced that 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.

Flores served as Bishop Brom's chief Vicar General with the automatic right of succession as diocesan Bishop when Bishop Brom retired, died, or became 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).[4][5]

Pope Francis accepted Brom's resignation on the latter's 75th birthday, September 18, 2013. He was succeeded automatically by Bishop Cirilo Flores.