Priests say Braxton used Vatican money for vestmentsSome oath of secrecy! Time to clean up the finance council, it sounds like to me...
Belleville — Bishop Edward Braxton's purchase of ceremonial garments with about $8,000 in donations to a Vatican fund strictly dedicated to world outreach led Belleville Diocese priests to seek an explanation Monday.
"We attempted to discuss it," said one member of the diocese's Presbyteral Council. "But no progress was made. The bishop did not want to talk about it."
As long ago as a diocesan finance council meeting Nov. 17, Braxton was asked how he had paid for the vestments, according to sources who were there. Braxton told the council the cost of about $8,000 was paid from a fund for international mission work, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because council members take an oath of secrecy...
Even if we were to assume that the facts are correctly stated, such matters should be kept and hammered out within the council itself and not publicized as happened in this case. The only purpose in making accusations for public review would be to express criticism of the bishop...other avenues exist for dealing with such matters. But it seems to me that someone prefers discord and dissension in Belleville.
It also seems that someone in the diocese would be willing to foot the bill for such an expenditure, if, indeed, the story is factual...I suspect that John Q Public has not been given all of the facts of this matter...
Personally, I'd break out the "truth detectors" and see who wishes to remain on the council...
*** Updated ***
More at Southern Illinois Catholic here.
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