The owner of a popular local nightclub with a gay clientele can't have a funeral in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego because the church has deemed his business "inconsistent with Catholic moral teaching."

None of the 98 Catholic churches in San Diego or Imperial counties will be allowed to provide services for Club Montage owner John McCusker as a result of the decision by San Diego Bishop Robert Brom.

McCusker, 31, died Sunday of congestive heart failure while vacationing in Mammoth, his family said. The bishop made the decision three days later after learning that McCusker's family planned to hold his funeral at the Immaculata Catholic Church on the campus of the University of San Diego, where McCusker went to school.

Brom's decision – which prompted the church to cancel the funeral – has provoked heated debate in local Catholic and gay communities. Several prominent gay leaders say they plan to file a formal protest with the diocese and demand that Brom apologize to McCusker's family.

Mike Portantino, a friend of McCusker's and publisher of the San Diego-based Gay & Lesbian Times, said McCusker's family members are devout Catholics and his mother has taught catechism. The family was unavailable for comment yesterday.

The decision, called highly unusual by several local Catholics, immediately drew comparisons to the actions of Brom's predecessor, the late Bishop Leo Maher. In 1989, Maher prohibited state Senate candidate Lucy Killea from taking Communion in local parishes because of her support for abortion rights. Maher's action drew national attention.

McCusker's family scrambled for another venue and settled on an Episcopal church, St. Paul's Cathedral near Balboa Park, which will hold the funeral at 11 a.m. today.

The diocese issued a statement yesterday, saying: "The facts regarding the business activities of John McCusker were not known by church officials when arrangements were requested for his funeral. However, when these facts became known, the bishop concluded that to avoid public scandal Mr. McCusker cannot be granted a funeral in a Catholic church in the chapel of the Diocese of San Diego."

Chancellor Rodrigo Valdivia, a diocese spokesman, said the bishop's order applies to all 98 parishes within the diocese's jurisdiction.

Valdivia wouldn't comment when asked to specify which of McCusker's business activities violated church doctrine. He emphasized that the church's decision had nothing to do with the sexual orientation of McCusker, who was gay. Instead, the decision was based on McCusker's "public activity" as a businessman, Valdivia said.

"We received information that the business he was involved with was inconsistent with Catholic teachings," Valdivia said.

McCusker's nightclub, Club Montage, near Lindbergh Field, is one of the city's most popular dance spots. On Friday nights, it tends to attract a heterosexual crowd, while Saturday night is considered gay night, according to patrons and friends of McCusker. He also owned a gay bar in North Park named ReBar.

Valdivia cited Canon 1184 of the Code of Canon Law, which provides a list of those who must be "deprived of ecclesiastical funeral rites." Among those on the list are "manifest sinners" for whom such funeral rites "cannot be granted without public scandal to the faithful." The church uses the term "manifest sinners" to describe those whom it considers obstinate and persistent sinners.

Valdivia was unable to say how often the diocese has invoked this canon to deny funeral rites to Catholics in past years. He couldn't recall any examples.

"Short of reviewing a lot of files, I don't know," he said.

Immaculata church officials declined to comment yesterday, referring inquiries to the diocese.

McCusker's friends, as well as many gay Catholics in San Diego, said they were appalled and outraged.

"I cannot think of a less compassionate thing for the bishop to have done," Portantino said. "Bishop Brom should be ashamed of himself."

Nicole Murray-Ramirez, a longtime San Diego gay activist and one of McCusker's friends, said McCusker was "a very spiritual Catholic. We had discussions of our faith many times."

Ramirez said various Catholic gays and other members of the gay community plan to meet Monday to discuss a response. The group would probably demand an apology from the diocese, among other things, he said.

"Everyone agrees we will do this in the most dignified manner," he said.

After finding out about the diocese's decision, McCusker's family called Councilwoman Toni Atkins, who is lesbian. She steered the family to St. Paul's Cathedral.

"Our basic philosophy at the cathedral is whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on the journey of faith, we welcome you," said the Very Rev. Scott Richardson, dean of the Episcopal church on Sixth Avenue.

Richardson said Atkins called him Wednesday night to tell him the McCusker family "needed some help. We were happy to offer that."

McCusker was active in a variety of local causes, recently serving as vice president of the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, which offers help to gays and lesbians. He was a member of the Greater San Diego Business Association.

Although Club Montage is hugely popular, it has also had its share of problems over the years. Five years ago, the City Council threatened to revoke its after-hours permit, citing illegal drug use and disruptive behavior at the Hancock Street club.

The diocese said the club's past problems had nothing to do with the bishop's decision.

By Alex Roth
SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Staff writer Sandi Dolbee contributed to this report.

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