Priest senate chairman: Braxton should speak out publicly about expenditure

BELLEVILLE --The chairman of the Belleville Diocese priest senate said Bishop Edward Braxton should speak out publicly in the metro-east concerning his alleged misuse of local donations to a pontifical world-wide fund to help the poor.

In December, the diocesan finance council sent a letter to the U.S. representative of Pope Benedict XVI concerning the use of money from a restricted bank account assigned to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, an international mission fund under the director of the Holy See or papal office. The money cannot be spent in the country of origin and must be sent to Rome.

The Rev. Jerry Wirth, leader of the 18-member priest senate, of which Braxton is president, said Monday, "In the light of what is going on, he is going to have to do something to regain the trust of a lot of people...."