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May 06, 2005
Belleville News
A letter signed by more than 50 priests protesting the manner in which Belleville Bishop-elect Edward K. Braxton was selected has been sent to high-ranking Catholic leaders in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and the Vatican, area priests said.
Chicago Cardinal Francis George, former Belleville Bishop Wilton Gregory, members of the local clergy and of the laity were cut out of the selection process, according to at least two priests.
The letter, a copy of which was sent to Braxton, requests a meeting between Belleville Diocese priests and George, the ranking cleric in the Catholic Church in Illinois.
The Rev. Mark D. Stec, pastor of four churches in Gallatin County in deep Southern Illinois, said he signed the letter. Stec said that as he understands the selection process, George should have been involved. He said the letter does not mention Braxton by name.
Stec said the requested meeting with George would offer Southern Illinois priests a chance to discuss persistent concerns about the naming of Braxton, who was confirmed by the late Pope John Paul II less than three weeks before his death.
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
Comments
Why do these priests dislike their bishop-elect? Or are they just put out that the pope didn't hold any 'listening sessions' prior to making a choice?
Posted by: Jenny at May 6, 2005 8:58:26 AM
Jenny,
A prior thread lists a number of reasons, though who knows to what extent they are based on fact.
The ordinary process does seem to have been circumvented, and it is fair to ask why. I'm not sure public letters are the most prudent route, however.
Posted by: Mike Petrik at May 6, 2005 9:05:22 AM
Since Braxton hasn't taken canonical posession of the diocese, at least in theory, Pope Benedict could quash the election. At least on the surface, the detractors have some valid complaints. When there that many priestly signatories to the letter in such a small diocese, I think it would be prudent for the Nuncio and the Vatican to take a second look.
Posted by: Patrick Rothwell at May 6, 2005 9:12:39 AM
Bishop Braxton is an intellectual and conservative. The reason why they don't want him there are for those very reasons. I think Pope John Paul II made a very good choice.
Posted by: Father Ethan at May 6, 2005 9:16:21 AM
Father, you might want to check on that other comment thread for the account of what Braxton did to the indult Tridentine Mass in Lake Charles before you make that statement.
Posted by: mac at May 6, 2005 9:19:13 AM
Comments are closed on the previous thread and I believe it was because it was mainly speculation.
As I asked on that thread before it was closed, does anyone really know what's going on here? Surely they aren't all bent out of shape ONLY because they didn't get a say in the decision.
Are they?
Posted by: Chris-2-4 at May 6, 2005 10:01:08 AM
Chris, that was the first thread. There was another one earlier this week here, with 64 comments
Posted by: amy at May 6, 2005 10:08:57 AM
These priests are hardly orthodox and neither is Bp. Braxton according to the prior thread that Amy cites (& articles I've read). He sounds like he may be arrogant as well. The epitome of practicing the faith in the Bville diocese is doing volunteer social work, to hear one friend tell it--she seems to agree. Eucharistic adorers & those faithful to the Church's teachings are mocked by the priest who writes a weekly liturgy of the word column.
I can only think the priests' motive is simply resentment over not being consulted and not getting who they must have wanted--though I don't know who that would be. Further, there just seems to be resistance to change. I have also speculated parochialism and racism, though in fairness I have no evidence of the latter except my experience having been brought up in and still visiting the area.
I don't see what good it creates for the collegiality among the clergy and bishop--who is not going to be changed upon their request. This is fruitless and only serves to create and further enflame animosity.
Posted by: Peggy at May 6, 2005 10:35:04 AM
Didn't all of these priests swear obedience to their bishop and his successors when they were ordained? This doesn't look like obedience to me. I think that the good fathers here need to stop whining and grow up. What is the meaning of obedience if it is only practiced when a priest agrees with his bishop?
Posted by: john hearn at May 6, 2005 10:40:04 AM
Cardinal George is Metropolitan over Belleville, so it's hard to believe that he wasn't "consulted." Then again, to put it bluntly: who knows what was going on in the last weeks and days of the last pontificate? If the new bishop is a "conservative," which seems in dispute as well, George might be conflicted: content with the selection, but miffed that he wasn't consulted about about a new suffragan ordinary.
I would like the Cardinal to clarify where he stands, since he and disgruntled priests wouldn't seem to be sympatico. They're throwing his name around as if he shares their concerns. Wonder if he really does...
Posted by: John Heavrin at May 6, 2005 10:56:22 AM
I live in the diocese of Lake Charles. Bishop Braxton is conservative and orthodox in his moral teaching and undoubtedly this has upset and offended some "liberals." However, he has offended many many of the faithful in his diocese other than liberals or heartbroken devotees to the Tridentine Mass. For example, he has shown his lack of concern regarding the sensibilities of his people in a newspaper interview regarding rumors concerning the renovation of our beautiful cathedral. He responded, basically, that he would "renovate" if he had the money, regardless of how the people felt about it. The reason? The cathdral wasn't built to be a cathedral and isn't large enough to accommodate ordination masses.
The response to that surely is, "What ordinations?" He's getting no more ordinations than his predecessor, who managed quite nicely in our beautiful old Cathedral. We'll be lucky to get four ordinations in the next ten years.
There are many issues with Bishop Braxton; it's natural to assume his orthodoxy to be behind the Illinois priests' request but "it ain't necessarily so." After all, the priests requesting the scrutiny are concerned that Cardinal George was bypassed, and Cardinal George, despite his unwillingness to deny Holy Communion to pro-choice politicians, is orthodox (by American standards, at least).
Bishop Braxton's orthodoxy is mixed with his near-obsession with multiculralism. His lack of senstiivity was again evident in his reflections on the death of John Paul II, about which I have ranted in my anti-euthanasia blog.
In sum, I would guess that if he is as insensitive to the needs of his priests as he is to the needs of the laity, it's no wonder the Illinois priests want to protect themselves. At the very least, he should know, as he assumes the Belleville Diocese, that his priests do not regard him as above the law.
Posted by: Linda Robinson at May 6, 2005 12:09:59 PM
As we've been told way too often: it ain't a democracy folks. You can pay, pray and obey, but don't expect a say.
Posted by: Jimmy Mac at May 6, 2005 12:29:42 PM
Jimmy,
What kind of say would you like to have. If an "election" for bishop were held in my parish today we'd end up with Bishop Gumbleton...or (gulp) "Bishop McBr-ainless-ein".
Posted by: Melanie at May 6, 2005 1:02:28 PM
If Fr. Karan would have his way, the laity would have chosen the bishop. He writes the columns I "fisk" when I have a chance. The man does not seem to respect or be informed as to Catholic belief and tradition in any way. There is little he has written that I agree with.
Posted by: Peggy at May 6, 2005 2:20:40 PM
"Karan" should be "Karban"
Posted by: Peggy at May 6, 2005 2:21:46 PM
"Karban said he signed the letter because 'The laity were not involved in the process whatsoever. That's un-Christian.'"
say what?
Posted by: NancyC at May 6, 2005 3:19:17 PM
Fr. Ethan, Bishop Braxton is NOT conservative in any way shape or form. The thought that we, in the way deep Bible Belt far south thought him "too" conservative, and that's why we didn't like him? Not a chance. You're talking about a culturally Catholic part of the country where people still believe in purgatory and act like it, where Mary statues are still in the front yard, where the newspaper advertises Lenten fish specials -- this is the Catholic Cajun French part of Louisiana. Bishop tried to squash the rosary along with Marian Devotion, just for an example. He called Mary "a muse." He all but forbid Divine Mercy Sunday. The list goes on and on.
Posted by: Barb at May 6, 2005 11:34:31 PM
All righty, let's Google Keywords "Braxton" and "Louvain." Not a pretty site in sight:
http://www.catholiccitizens.org/platform/platformview.asp?c=3526
http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2002Oct/oct11fcs.htm
http://www.newoxfordreview.org/2002/sep02/newoxfordnotes.html
http://www.cruxnews.com/crisis.html
Disclaimer: nothing here says anything one way or another about the bishop's "lifestyle" but we get, seems to me, a pretty clear picture of his willingness to suppress, er I mean nuance. Counter-Googling welcome, of course, but I warn ya, it's not a fun ride.
Posted by: LRR at May 7, 2005 1:32:23 PM
I just came upon this site while looking for information about Bishop Braxton. I live in Belleville and have heard the negatives about Bishop Braxton. I feel that so much of what I have heard are personal attacks against this man and certainly not Christian. I have been very disappointed with many of the priests that are currently pastors in the diocese, so some of their feelings would not hit home with me. Humility, the very thing they accuse this Bishop of lacking, is the virtue that many are themselves lacking.
Kathleen Wimmer
Posted by: Kathleen Wimmer at Mar 18, 2006 3:23:20 PM
