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Deacon_Tony560
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Can anyone in the Chicago area explain what is going on with the appointment of this bishop? www.spiritdaily.com has an article today that says that priests are objecting to his appointment.
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mfundis
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I’m in the diocese where he is going to be installed- Belleville. There are a number of priests (how many is still a large question) who object to the way in which Bishop Braxton was named to the diocese. They claim that they wanted more (name removed by moderator)ut from the papal nuncio and the metropolitan (in our case the Archbishop of Chicago0 Cdl George). The curious thing is, most of the priest who are protesting, also protest things like celebacy. Since Bishop Braxton isn’t known (from what I’ve gathered) for his orthodoxy- it surprises me that they have a problem with him.
There was some issue with Bishop Braxton’s desire to renovate the bishops house, and there may be some actual personality conflicts- the whole thing is a mess.
There was some issue with Bishop Braxton’s desire to renovate the bishops house, and there may be some actual personality conflicts- the whole thing is a mess.
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stumbler
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Deacon_Tony560
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Deacon_Tony560
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stumbler said:
Thank you for answering. I had almost given up hope. These forums are amazing. they reach people from all over.
God bless you.
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mommy25
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Where could I find out who the 7 priests are? I’ve never seen it written anywhere…just curious as I am also in the Belleville diocese.
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Deacon_Tony560
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This story went world wide. Do you mean that there has been no news of it in your diocese? You might call your diocese.
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HagiaSophia
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Deacon Tony560:
Some priests say the ramifications of the appointment are already starting to show. Monsignor James Margason, vicar general for the diocese, said empty envelopes for the bishop’s annual fundraising campaign are arriving from parishioners who question how their money would be spent.
Rev. Clyde Grogan, who oversees ministries in East St. Louis, counts on his right hand what he calls the “Killer B’s,” or those politicians and clergy who do not have the community’s best interests at heart: “Benedict, Bush, Blagojevich, Blunt and Braxton”–a list including the pope, the president and the governors of Illinois and Missouri.
Parishioners and clergy in St. Louis and Lake Charles, many of whom speak fondly of Braxton now, say he faced similar disdain when he became a bishop 10 years ago.
“He has a sense of formality about him that can be off-putting to some people, that might leave one with the impression that he is distant or aloof,” said Rev. Stephen Gira, a religious order priest in Belleville who worked in St. Louis when Braxton was an auxiliary bishop there. “It makes people feel he might be cold and not able to get down to the common person and understand the common person in the pew.”
Two years into his Lake Charles ministry, Braxton purchased a home in the center of town with a backyard pool. He repainted and furnished the home with donations and gifts, including a hot tub shipped from St. Louis. A self-proclaimed teacher as well as a pastor, he expected precision and often corrected people when they changed the words or altered the liturgy.
Deacon George Carr said some in the diocese would have preferred he adopt the laid-back and simple lifestyle of their first bishop.
“People in their minds felt someone who was part of the church should live a pauper’s life,” recalled Nathan Dondis, president of the only Jewish congregation in town, whose wife is Roman Catholic. “In his broad picture, if you don’t have a nice place to entertain people and do the work of the diocese then you’re not going to do as well fundraising for the diocese. The idea was a little foreign to the thinking down here, but it was effective.”
At St. Mary of the Lake seminary in Mundelein, classmates saw firsthand the obstacles faced by the Chicago native as he entered into his career. One classmate said that when the seminarians were asked to provide their draft board numbers, Braxton was told he was reading his incorrectly: “No, son, you’re wrong. Your type don’t live in that area.”
For the fellow seminarian, who asked not to be identified, the moment illustrated the attitudes Braxton would have to overcome to rise in the church hierarchy.
Braxton spent his first year of priesthood as an associate pastor for Bishop Timothy Lyne at Holy Name Cathedral. To this day, Lyne sings his praises.
The Chicago Tribune gives this:
Some priests say the ramifications of the appointment are already starting to show. Monsignor James Margason, vicar general for the diocese, said empty envelopes for the bishop’s annual fundraising campaign are arriving from parishioners who question how their money would be spent.
Rev. Clyde Grogan, who oversees ministries in East St. Louis, counts on his right hand what he calls the “Killer B’s,” or those politicians and clergy who do not have the community’s best interests at heart: “Benedict, Bush, Blagojevich, Blunt and Braxton”–a list including the pope, the president and the governors of Illinois and Missouri.
Parishioners and clergy in St. Louis and Lake Charles, many of whom speak fondly of Braxton now, say he faced similar disdain when he became a bishop 10 years ago.
“He has a sense of formality about him that can be off-putting to some people, that might leave one with the impression that he is distant or aloof,” said Rev. Stephen Gira, a religious order priest in Belleville who worked in St. Louis when Braxton was an auxiliary bishop there. “It makes people feel he might be cold and not able to get down to the common person and understand the common person in the pew.”
Two years into his Lake Charles ministry, Braxton purchased a home in the center of town with a backyard pool. He repainted and furnished the home with donations and gifts, including a hot tub shipped from St. Louis. A self-proclaimed teacher as well as a pastor, he expected precision and often corrected people when they changed the words or altered the liturgy.
Deacon George Carr said some in the diocese would have preferred he adopt the laid-back and simple lifestyle of their first bishop.
“People in their minds felt someone who was part of the church should live a pauper’s life,” recalled Nathan Dondis, president of the only Jewish congregation in town, whose wife is Roman Catholic. “In his broad picture, if you don’t have a nice place to entertain people and do the work of the diocese then you’re not going to do as well fundraising for the diocese. The idea was a little foreign to the thinking down here, but it was effective.”
At St. Mary of the Lake seminary in Mundelein, classmates saw firsthand the obstacles faced by the Chicago native as he entered into his career. One classmate said that when the seminarians were asked to provide their draft board numbers, Braxton was told he was reading his incorrectly: “No, son, you’re wrong. Your type don’t live in that area.”
For the fellow seminarian, who asked not to be identified, the moment illustrated the attitudes Braxton would have to overcome to rise in the church hierarchy.
Braxton spent his first year of priesthood as an associate pastor for Bishop Timothy Lyne at Holy Name Cathedral. To this day, Lyne sings his praises.
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EJ79
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Out of curiosity from someone who knows nothing about him, why do you say that he’s not known for his orthodoxy? This to me would seem to pose a much more serious problem than any squabbles over property and renovations. If he was legitimately appointed bishop by the Pope - then there is nothing left for the clergy and faithful of Belleville to do other than welcome him, obey him (unless he goes heterodox), pray for him and learn to live in peace with him.
When a dissident, left-wing diocese in Switzerland tried to reject their newly appointed (orthodox) bishop in the 1980’s - John Paul II blasted back at the local curia and the diocesan faithful and told them that “to reject a legitimately appointed bishop is tantamount to rejecting Christ.”
Unless there are serious issues with the bishop’s orthodoxy - there is really no excuse for this tremendous lack of respect and obedience from a priest. I don’t care how liberal or not Bishop Braxton is, he is a bishop nonetheless, and should be given the respect that the dignity of his office deserves.
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Deacon_Tony560
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Thanks for the newspaper article. This is a very interesting case. Any updates would be appreciated.
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dearinger
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The respect of any high office is a two way street. Not only must those under the office respect it, those in any high office need to respect their title and act appropriately for their appointed position. Local laity and clergy in Belleville have legitimate questions about Edward Braxton’s respect for his position with regard to the people he serves. We also have an issue with the unusual appointment process from Rome. The priests that you can not excuse are leaders themselves, voicing concerns from their parishioners who may lack the skill or the courage to voice their concerns.
Our blind obedience to any man, regardless of his position, is foolish and irresponsible!
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mfundis
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Please don’t misunderstand my statement. I have every intention on giving Bishop Braxton the respect his office deserves. That being said, there have been arrows flung at him from both sides of the “orthodox/heterodox” isle. Given that- (and keep in mind I have no proof of this- only things that have been posted in these forums in response to my inquiries about- you can probably search by his last name or Belleville to find them), if what I’ve heard about him is true, the people who actually ARE doing the protesting should be grateful for his appointment, as he won’t come down hard on them for their progressive ways.
The lay group who was protesting, FOSIL, is an arm of Call to Action. the priest group who complained are in the Southern Illinois association of Priest, here is a mention of them in an article that may give you an idea of their views: bishop-accountability.org/specialtopics/priestgroups/2003-08-26-Zahn-MarriedPriests.htm
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mfundis
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At the end of the [April 25] meeting, a committee of priests, including Monsignor William J. Hitpas, pastor of St. Nicholas parish in O’Fallon, Ill., and Monsignor Carl Scherrer, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Columbia, Ill., turned on an overhead projector that showed a letter they had drafted to George, according to six of the 65 or so priests at the meeting.
No copies of the letter were distributed, the priests were told, in order to keep it from the public. After some minor revisions, the letter was sent to George on April 27.
In addition to Hitpas and Scherrer, five other priests were then selected to meet with George: Monsignor James A. Buerster of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Belleville, the Rev. James M. Nall of St. Agatha in New Athens, the Rev. Edward Schaefer of St. Rose in Breese, the Rev. Mark Stec of St. Joseph in Ridgway and the Rev. Jerry E. Wirth of St. Joseph in Olney.
from an article @
stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/25EE4E4A32A202E2862570220015D59C?OpenDocument
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Deacon_Tony560
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This situation gets more and more interesting. Thanks for your info.
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Dave_from_STL
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I participated in several meetings (large groups) with Bishop Braxton when he was in St. Louis. These were deanery planning meetings, the participants were lay people such as myself and the priests of our area. I was very impresssed with Bishop Braxton’s intellect but also in some way he had a powerful presence of the Spirit that touched me. I think he is a good man. He is quite formal and probably could be seen as a bit intimidating. I recall a number of priests saw him as demanding and some said that he would “put you on the spot”.
So, this may be his personality. He may not be ultra-conservative but I have never heard of any way in which he was not orthodox in his teaching of the faith.
As to the possibly unusual circumstances of his appointment and the possibility that certain protocols may not have been followed to the letter. Let’s see, he was appointed in March of this year by Pope John Paul II. Is it possible that the Holy Father and his advisors at the Vatican acted quickly in this regard due to the declining health of the Holy Father. It certainly seems plausible to me. As to the supposed irregularity. I see none. Regardless of the length of time spent in the process or the opinions solicited or taken into account, no one contends that he was not validly appointed by the Holy Father. To me, there is no irregularity at all!
So, this may be his personality. He may not be ultra-conservative but I have never heard of any way in which he was not orthodox in his teaching of the faith.
As to the possibly unusual circumstances of his appointment and the possibility that certain protocols may not have been followed to the letter. Let’s see, he was appointed in March of this year by Pope John Paul II. Is it possible that the Holy Father and his advisors at the Vatican acted quickly in this regard due to the declining health of the Holy Father. It certainly seems plausible to me. As to the supposed irregularity. I see none. Regardless of the length of time spent in the process or the opinions solicited or taken into account, no one contends that he was not validly appointed by the Holy Father. To me, there is no irregularity at all!
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HagiaSophia
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I’d say that explains quite a bit about the “disaffected”.
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HagiaSophia
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And that unusual process consisted of what precisely?
Sometimes though tis wisdom to have an experience of time however wouldn’t you say? For as we are also told in the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews
Chapter 13
13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
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Deacon_Tony560
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Dave from STL- thanks for the eye witness info. I like your join date Dec. 2nd-that’s the anniversary date of my marriage to my lovely wife 44 years ago.
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HagiaSophia
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mommy25
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Thank you all for the information…now that I’ve seen the names, the ones I know do not surprise me at all. How sad.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
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