Belleville Diocesan priests ask Bp. Braxton to resign

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IronHammer said:
This testimony, from someone who has first hand experience of the conditions in the Belleville diocese, combined with first hand testimony of Bishop Braxton’s character from my wife’s two orthodox priest-cousins at the Bishop’s former diocese in Lake Charles, convince me that the good Bishop is just that – good. He is fighting entrenched elements of liberlism and heretical thinking in a diocese that is filled with disillusioned parishioners who are being led by the nose by their wayward priests. I am praying the rosary that his Excellency prevails in his battle for the Truth.
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He is in my prayers also!
 
peregrinus_WA said:
Maybe the faithful should put letters telling them to resign in their weekly envelopes instead of money :rolleyes: Then send the money to the Diocese’s coffers. :cool:
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Sounds like an excellent idea. It could be applied to some other diocese, I’m sure.

CDL
 
Braxton and the diocesan financial board has done some rather serious financial transactions. Due to the event, Braxton has basically sheltered himself from the diocese (causing other issues not to be addressed). Very few respect him at this point and find his bahavior very damaging to the diocese. They are asking him to step down to allow for the financial issues to go through the courts, and a new leader to lead rather than hide.

Not all priests signed the letter but it’s WHO signed the letter that makes one wonder about Braxton’s future.
 
Cabin4 said:
Braxton and the diocesan financial board has done some rather serious financial transactions. Due to the event, Braxton has basically sheltered himself from the diocese (causing other issues not to be addressed). Very few respect him at this point and find his bahavior very damaging to the diocese. They are asking him to step down to allow for the financial issues to go through the courts, and a new leader to lead rather than hide.

Not all priests signed the letter but it’s WHO signed the letter that makes one wonder about Braxton’s future.
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I am assuming that you are in the diocese. How do you respond that Braxton addressed the financial issue right when it occured? Have you not read that letter?
 
No, I am not in that diocese. I do follow it closely, and have others who do so as well.

I will wait and see when the issue is settled in the court.

I love our Bishops but public relations is one part of their office.
 
I did not take the reply to be either positive or negative.

Diocesan fanancial records are not public, no matter what a parish thinks. Line items accounting is the business of the accountants and the Bishop. The Bishop is head of the diocese when it comes to being chief steward of money.

I hope it all was just a simple mistake—I can hope, can’t I?
 
Cabin4 said:
I did not take the reply to be either positive or negative.

Diocesan fanancial records are not public, no matter what a parish thinks. Line items accounting is the business of the accountants and the Bishop. The Bishop is head of the diocese when it comes to being chief steward of money.

I hope it all was just a simple mistake—I can hope, can’t I?
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If you read through all the records and all the posts…plus as I stated earlier, I have been to several parishes in the diocese…recently lived there…only one conclusion you can have. The priests stated right when he became bishop there that they were going to get rid of him.
 
dmelosi said:
Yes they have…the names are public.

Most of the ones that signed are the ones who have been around for a long time.

If you read through the letter the priests wrote, the letters the bishop wrote, then participate in some of the masses in the diocese…to me it is very easy to conclude that it is liberal priests rebelling against a bishop that follows the teachings of the Magisterium.
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Is this letter/priests names available on-line? Where can I find it?
 
Pastoral respect is something that a bishop can’t just expect. No matter who the priests are giving their oath to, if they don’t like the man, they don’t like him. His pastoral presence is disturbing…he continues to “hide” in his diocesan office.

Priests are under HUGE pressure to keep up with the administrative duties, and raising funds, in the diocese. When your bishop misappropriates funds, no matter the intention, it creates another breach in trust.

I heard that the trust issues run much deeper than what is “reported”.

The situation is suspect.
 
diobelle.org/calendar/documents/0122ekb.doc

As Bishop of the Diocese of Belleville, I have the responsibility to oversee the temporal goods and finances of the Diocese in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer. (“It is the role of the finance officer to administer the goods of the Diocese under the authority of the Bishop…”(Cf. the Code of Canon Law #494-3) This is a very serious responsibility for each of us.
Code: 
When I decided that the new table and chairs for the Chancery Office conference room and the vestments and altar linens for the Cathedral of St. Peter should be paid for out of a special fund for diocesan buildings from the Future Full of Hope campaign and a bequest for the propagation of the faith, it was my judgment that these were funds over which I had some discretionary power. At the time of this decision I stated, in writing, that if it was determined that my judgment was incorrect in this matter, I would replenish both funds with revenues obtained from an outside benefactor. After several weeks of discussion, the Chief Financial Officer and the Diocesan Finance Council have not agreed with my judgment.

Today, I have secured a gift from a benefactor that will replenish both funds completely. While this gift resolves the immediate question concerning restricted and unrestricted funds, it does not resolve the larger question of the confusion, mistrust, misunderstanding, loss of confidence, and even anger caused by these developments. I regret this very much, and I apologize for anything I may have done, even unwittingly, to contribute to this situation. A serious effort on my part and on the part of those charged by the Church to assist me in the stewardship of our finances will be required to move forward. After discussing this matter with the Finance Council yesterday, I assured them of my desire to work closer with them to ensure that such a problem does not occur again. In order to be sure we move from words to deeds, we will discuss specific steps to be taken during our February meeting. 

 As a Bishop it has always been my commitment to act in complete fidelity to the doctrine and discipline of the Catholic Church and to do nothing in violation of civil law, canon law, or moral law. I renew that commitment today.
 
Cabin4 said:
Pastoral respect is something that a bishop can’t just expect. No matter who the priests are giving their oath to, if they don’t like the man, they don’t like him. His pastoral presence is disturbing…he continues to “hide” in his diocesan office.

Priests are under HUGE pressure to keep up with the administrative duties, and raising funds, in the diocese. When your bishop misappropriates funds, no matter the intention, it creates another breach in trust.

I heard that the trust issues run much deeper than what is “reported”.

The situation is suspect.
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You heard? Didn’t think you were from the area? Where and what and from whom did you hear?
 
Cabin4 said:
Pastoral respect is something that a bishop can’t just expect. No matter who the priests are giving their oath to, if they don’t like the man, they don’t like him. His pastoral presence is disturbing…he continues to “hide” in his diocesan office.

Priests are under HUGE pressure to keep up with the administrative duties, and raising funds, in the diocese. When your bishop misappropriates funds, no matter the intention, it creates another breach in trust.

I heard that the trust issues run much deeper than what is “reported”.

The situation is suspect.
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I have heard that a poster here thinks they have heard that someone heard that the trust issues run much deeper. And that’s a fact.

The poster is suspect.

.
 
There is a huge difference between restricted and unrestricted funds. Period.
 
Cabin4 said:
.

At the time of this decision I stated, in writing, that if it was determined that my judgment was incorrect in this matter, I would replenish both funds with revenues obtained from an outside benefactor.
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Cabin…does this letter not say that everyone was aware at the time it happened? Or do you not believe the bishop?
 
I m saying that restricted funds and unrestricted funds are quite different. That is what I am saying. That is what I have said.

I am trying to find the list of the priest’s name that is on the letter…I have to say that you have to “dumpster dive” probably on abuse tracker to find it…and that is mostly offensive. I saved it somewhere on an email. If I can find it, I will post it.
 
dmelosi said:
It is no wonder that so many Catholic posters on here excuse their party by saying that there are other more important issues than abortion, and rarely say anything against this mass killing. I have heard the very same thing come from the priests themselves…
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Interesting you should say this…at the Mass at my (now former) parish when we left, one of the intercessions was to pray for a culture where “abortion and capital punishment were no longer necessary”…

Same pastor who signed the letter, who was in on the attempt to get Bishop Braxton to reject his appointment in 2005, who routinely alters the Mass (like skipping the Penitential Rite…), etc…

I’m a new comer to this diocese, and I’ll be relieved to be leaving, but I have to say, having met the bishop and read his pastoral letter, I think he’s a good man and he’s being unjustly attacked by heterodox priests.

As I read this thread again, I have been piecing little parts together from long-time residents of this diocese. Some have said the bishop’s leaderships style is authoritarian, but you know, if your priests are asking for “liberal” or heterodox things and you say “no” and end the discussion…that’s good pastoral leadership. It is not charity or good fathering to allow your flock to do things that lead them away from the Faith…

Further, if the rebel priests were really interested in doing whats best for the Faithful, they’d have kept their dispute between them and the hierarchy (i.e. not involved the secular press), and they certainly would’ve waited until after Holy Week to send their letter.

I think we need more Bishop Braxtons!

Here’s another source:

soilcatholics.blogspot.com
 
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