Brom Takes Over as Bishop of San Diego : Religion: He moves toward a less confrontational stance on abortion views of Sen. Killea, who was denounced by Bishop Maher.

Bishop Robert H. Brom became the fourth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego Tuesday after the Pope accepted his predecessor’s resignation letter earlier in the day in Rome.

Brom, 51, appointed successor to the job in April 1989, replaces the ailing Bishop Leo T. Maher, 75.

Maher, who is suffering from a malignant brain tumor, reached the church’s mandatory retirement age July 1 and had been waiting for the Pope to accept his resignation.

The outgoing bishop gained nationwide notoriety last year when he became the first Roman Catholic clergyman to denounce a politician for favoring abortion rights. In a two-page letter, Maher called state Sen. Lucy Killea (D-San Diego), a Catholic, “an advocate of this most heinous crime,” and told her the ban would remain until she recanted her position.

At a press conference Tuesday morning, reporters quizzed the new bishop about Maher’s Communion ban on Killea, which was imposed after she broadcast commercials outlining her abortions rights stand during her political campaign in November.

“When it comes time for me to address this matter I will do so in a private, confidential way,” Brom said.

“I would really like to keep the whole Lucy Killea matter in the internal forum. I will not use the media to advertise whatever might be done pastorally in reference to Lucy Killea.”

Brom did not address directly whether Maher’s ban is still in effect.

Killea, speaking Tuesday from her office in Sacramento, said she has attended Mass recently there, but she said she will not defy the San Diego bishop in his own diocese.

“I haven’t (attended Mass) in the diocese because I respect the bishop’s authority there,” she said. “I would assume the ban would continue, unless something is done about it.”

Killea narrowly defeated Assemblywoman Carol Bentley (R-El Cajon) in a Dec. 5 special Senate election. Bentley is adamantly against abortion.

Both women have said the publicity generated by Maher’s ban helped Killea win the district, which is heavily Republican.

Killea said she doesn’t plan to initiate any contact with Brom.

“I might down the line, but I haven’t put my mind to it right now. I’m focused on things up here at the moment, and I can’t make any predictions,” she said. “I just decided to wait a while and let things settle down.”

But, if the bishop asked to meet with her, Killea said she would “absolutely” agree to the meeting.

“I certainly respect his position, and I will try to be responsive,” she said.

Maher, bishop for almost 21 years, was ordained a priest in 1943. He appeared tired at a ceremony in his honor Saturday at the first public appearance since his surgery. The administration building at the University of San Diego was renamed for him during the ceremony.

Maher has undergone 38 radiation treatments after having brain surgery in late April and early May. Doctors have said patients with his type of cancer normally have less than a year to live.

Brom, previously bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, Minn., becomes the fourth bishop of the San Diego Diocese, which includes more than 450,000 registered Catholics in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

“I look forward in the days ahead to working with the diocesan leadership--clergy, religious and lay faithful--and with representatives of various groups to set and accomplish goals and objectives which will bring us into the third millennium of Christianity,” Brom said in a prepared text.