A Roman Catholic bishop accused of misusing donations to two special funds apologized on Tuesday and said he's found a benefactor whose donation will replenish both funds completely.Bishop Edward Braxton, head of the Diocese of Belleville, said he bought a new table and chairs for a conference room and new vestments and altar linens for the Cathedral of St. Paul, believing he had "some discretionary power" over how money donated to two special funds was spent.
The bishop did not say how much he spent on the purchases and did not identify the donor.
"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," Braxton said in a statement. "I regret this very much, and I apologize for anything I may have done, even unwittingly, to contribute to this situation," he said.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Braxton spent about $8,000 on the ceremonial garments using money donated to a Vatican fund called the Propagation of the Faith.
The Belleville News-Democrat reported that about $10,000 from a "Future Full of Hope" fund for children and adults was used to buy the table and chairs.
In the last few weeks, pastoral groups in the 104,000-member, 124-parish diocese had asked Braxton to address the claims of misspending.
The finance council's 16 members last month also signed a letter to Braxton, voicing concern. A copy was sent to the pope's representative in Washington.
And last week, SNAP _ an advocacy group for victims of clergy abuse _ implored Roman Catholics across southern Illinois to earmark or cut back their donations to the church until the complaints could be sorted out.
In his statement, Braxton said he has met with the diocese's Finance Council and told the group he wants to work closer with them in the future to avoid similar problems.
Braxton had been dogged by questions about his spending even before he took the helm of the Belleville diocese in 2005 after serving as bishop in Lake Charles, La.
Shortly after being appointed Belleville's bishop in March 2005 by Pope John Paul II, Braxton ruffled some by quickly pushing to renovate the bishop's three-story home beyond the $25,000 the diocese said it could afford.
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