By George Pawlaczyk
News-Democrat
December 9, 2008
http://www.bnd.com/polls/story/571630.html
[PDF: Reid report concerning relations between Bishop Braxton and priests]
BELLEVILLE -- Conciliatory talks held over the summer between Bishop Edward Braxton and priests who had asked him to resign have resulted in a 10-point report by a nonprofit group urging the two sides to trust each other and improve communication.
The Reid Group, of Seattle, which issued the report, was paid $30,000 to hold separate meetings between Braxton and 46 priests who are permanently assigned to the diocese and in March asked him to resign. The meetings also included about 40 priests who did not call for Braxton's resignation.
"This new moment of opportunity to build a more fruitful relationship among priests and between the priests and the bishop is still at a fragile point and requires consistent care and attention," the Red Group's two-page report states.
The Oct. 27 report recommends that talks continue although, say priests contacted about the meetings, no meetings have been scheduled.
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| Bishop Edward Braxton |
The report, which noted a lower-than-hoped-for turnout, recommended that an "ombudsperson or skilled party" be named who can "help parties navigate any potential breakdown or impasse."
Braxton could not be reached for comment.
But five priests contacted by the News-Democrat, including four who signed the letter calling for Braxton to step down and one, the Rev. Robert Gore, who did not, were willing to speak about the report.
"Generally speaking, I think it was pretty positive, but there were some negative comments in there, too," said Gore, pastor of St. Augustine of Cantrerbury Church in Hecker.
"I think No. 1 was that the priests got together and dialogued," Gore said. "The bishop did the same. He went from table to table. ... I always thought that he's pretty good one-on-one, but he gets flustered sometimes in groups. We all do."
Only one of the five priests contacted thought the talks were unproductive.
"With the amount of money we spent on that and nothing happened. No changes. No change in procedures. Nothing," said the Rev. Mark Stec, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Ridgeway.
"I place no trust in this, that we're going to get any further," Stec added. "So, I'm not going to participate because of that. I'll participate in it only when we see that we're going to move forward. It was a waste of time."
Others have a degree of optimism.
"I don't want to trash this. I think it's at least an attempt. The bishop has shown some signs that he wants to work with us," said Monsignor Dennis Voss, pastor of St. Liborious Church in St. Libory.
"It's an ongoing process," said Monsignor James Buerster, pastor of St. Boniface Church, Germantown. "We have to see if we can put together actions that match the words. Whether or not the bishop is willing to work with various counseling groups, the Presbyteral council (of priests), the finance council (priests and laymen) and the diocesan pastoral council."
And Monsignor Donald Eichenseer, pastor of St. Bernard Church in Albers, said: "Let me put it this way. I went away from there feeling hopeful. If both sides follow up. That's always the thing. The reason for the talks was to chart a new course. I think some new talks will be coming up in the near future. We haven't heard lately."
The call for Braxton to resign followed unprecedented actions by the diocesan finance council, made up of priests and laymen, who sharply criticized Braxton for using money from restricted funds to buy a new table and chairs for the chancery and new ceremonial clothing for himself and several priests.
The finance council sent its letter to the papal nuncio in Washington, D.C., Pope Benedict XVI's representative in the United States.
A group of nuns based in Ruma sent a similar letter to the papal nuncio asking for intervention to bring peace and cooperation between clergy and Braxton.
Preists have said that their main issue is that Braxton does not meet with them or seek their input on a wide variety of pastoral matters.
Braxton issued a letter to parishioners publicly apologizing for the use of the money and pledging that it would be repaid by private donors.
However, he answered the call to resign by vowing he would not step down and by criticizing some of the letter signers for orchestrating an unsuccessful effort to derail him even before he was installed as bishop in June of 2005.
Contact reporter George Pawlaczyk at gpawlaczyk@bnd.com or 239-2625.
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