The theme of healing and reconciliation in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville will continue next week when a long-awaited mediation between Bishop Edward Braxton and his priests begins Monday.In the three years since Braxton arrived in 2005, some Belleville priests have been agitating for the Vatican to transfer him out of the diocese.
In March, about 60 percent of the diocese’s resident priests signed a letter asking Braxton to resign.
The bishop responded by accusing some of the priests of blackmailing him before his installation.
Last month, the diocese brought in a Catholic-oriented consulting and mediation firm based outside Seattle to help repair the battered relationship with a series of meetings.
Braxton has said the cost of hiring the mediation company, the Reid Group, would be partially covered by the diocese’s Convocation funds and Continuing Education of Priests funds, and “will not exceed $30,000.”
Next week’s four-day convocation of Belleville’s priests at a St. Louis hotel will be focused on dialogue. Three regional meetings between Braxton and his priests are scheduled to follow in coming weeks.
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(Source: CivilReligion)