A statement issued at noon today and signed by 44 priests asked Bishop Edward Braxton to resign, "...for his own good, for the good of the diocese and for the good of the presbyterate," or priests.The priests met Wednesday in Germantown and agreed to what they called "a plan of action" but would not reveal it until today.
Braxton could not be reached for comment.
Priests who signed the document represent 60 percent of the active priests in the diocese, not counting clergy from other countries who are on temporary duty. The names of the priests who signed were not listed on the media statement.
"Recent revelations of Bishop Braxton's misappropriation of funds have only intensified the lack of trust of priests ... and laity of our diocese have in our bishop," the statement said.
The call to Braxton to resign was lauded by a national Catholic reform group, Call To Action, based near Chicago.
Members of Call To Action said they "...applaud the courage of the Catholic priests in the Belleville Diocese. ...This action done in times of church crisis, only occurs in rare instances such as when a group of Boston priests similarly came together to call for Cardinal Law's resignation after massive revelations of sexual abuse."
Today's statement followed two recent written requests by local groups of nuns and members of the diocesan finance council to the pope's representative in the United States, Archbishop Pietro Sambi of Washington, D.C. The requests complained of Braxton's use of $17,100 to buy ceremonial garments and office furniture and for "intervention" to bring trust and hope to the diocese.
Braxton publicly apologized for misusing the money and has said it will be repaid from other, less restricted diocesan funds.
The letter calling for Braxton to resign will be sent to Cardinal Francis George in Chicago and to Sambi.
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