McCusker controversy has traumatized community

In reporting the results of John McCusker's autopsy ("Autopsy performed in McCusker death," News, March 30), the Union-Tribune has sunk to a new low. What possible motivation did you have for this report other than to appease the San Diego Roman Catholic Diocese?

I pray it has the opposite effect and educates other human beings to the dangers of using oxycodones and amphetamines and subscribing to the dogma of a judgmental religious organization.

OSCAR E. MORRIS
San Diego

Not only has the handling of this whole issue surrounding John McCusker traumatized the McCusker family, the gay and lesbian Catholic community of San Diego and beyond. It also has traumatized the entire community, Catholic and otherwise, liberal and conservative, straight and gay.

For someone who wanted to avoid scandal by refusing a Catholic Mass to a young Catholic man, Bishop Robert Brom has done a stellar job of exactly the opposite. And all at a time when we should have been reflecting on the passion and resurrection of Christ. Perhaps the timing makes this all the more poignant.

PATRICK T. McARRON
San Diego

In "Bishop's careful apology fails to end dispute" (A1, March 25), a protester is quoted as saying that "the church teaches that homosexuality is a sin." This is not in fact the church's position.

Catholic moral teaching plainly states that homosexuality, sexual attraction to people of one's own sex, is not in itself sinful. What is morally objectionable is genital sexual expression of that attraction.

This distinction, and pastoral guidelines for ministering to homosexual Catholics, are expressed very well in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' statement "Always Our Children." Anyone seeking more information on this topic would do well to read this document.