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Bishop’s Parish and School Visitations Continue Throughout Diocese

Bishop Edward K. Braxton has now spent a weekend on a Parish Pastoral Visitation to 65 of the 117 parishes in the Diocese of Belleville. He has also continued his regular Pastoral Visitations to the schools of the Diocese. In recent weekends he has visited Holy Spirit Parish in Carterville, St. James Parish in Millstadt, St. Patrick Parish in Tipton, St. Felicitas Parish in Beaver Prairie, St. Charles Borromeo Parish in DuBois, and Immaculate Conception Parish in Tamaroa. He also recently visited all of the classes at St. James School in Millstadt.

While the basic structure of the visitations is the same for each Visitation, each one is very different because of the very different personality of each parish and the different concerns raised by the parishioners during the dialogue homilies. During Lent the Bishop has been focusing his reflections on the call of Jesus Christ to conversion. Every Catholic is called by the Lord to reject sin in all of its forms. In this context he thanks all of the parishioners for their genuine efforts to live the Christian life in a culture which sometimes makes it very difficult to follow the Ten Commandments and embrace the Beatitudes. “It is not easy to be a faithful husband, wife, father, mother, son or daughter in a world that seems to be losing respect for the family itself.” He expresses his gratitude to each individual in the congregation for remaining faithful to the Church in spite of the terrible scandal caused by members of the clergy harming children. He reminds them that only God is perfect. Bishops, priests, deacons, sisters, brothers and the laity are all redeemed sinners. As he said at one parish, “You must remember that your faith is not in the Bishop, it is not in the clergy or the religious. It is not even in your fellow parishioners. Your faith is in God alone. God alone is perfect. He alone never fails.”

The Bishop explains to the Christian Faithful that there have been no reports to him of priests harming children during the six years he has been Bishop. But he explains the Diocese is still dealing with the complex legal and financial consequences of alleged past instances of abuse. This inevitably has an impact on the morale of many of the priests and the parishioners as well. He stated in one dialogue, “I realize that some of our parishioners have questions concerning legal matters that are not always easily explained. Sometimes you have been given inaccurate information. It is often not possible for the priests who serve you or for me to answer all of the questions you have to your satisfaction.” He encouraged those gathered for Saturday evening and Sunday morning Mass to remember that Christ will never abandon His Church no matter how sinful some of the members may be. “This is not the time to abandon your spiritual home in the Church. In a time of crisis you and I need the spiritual nourishment of the Holy Eucharist, the sacrament of Reconciliation and all of the sacraments more than ever. When you give your time, talent, and treasure, you give it to promote the work of Christ’s abundant love.”

After his Visitation to St. James Parish on March 5-6, Bishop Braxton spent Monday, March 7 visiting with the students, faculty, and staff of St. James School. These school visits afford the Bishop the opportunity to express his personal gratitude and the gratitude of the Diocese to the principals, teachers, staff members and parents who make it possible to maintain a Catholic school in these difficult economic times. While the Bishop asks pointed questions about changes in enrollment, tuition rates, and personnel, he always expresses a keen interest in the Catholic identity of each school. He wants to encourage everyone involved in the ministry of Catholic education to keep in mind that they are not serving at a private school; they are serving at a Catholic School. Jesus Christ is the Teacher of the Teachers at every Catholic School, because he is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

At St. James, he visited with all of the children in every class level. However, he spent a great deal of time with the seventh and eighth graders. They were happy to see him and eager to talk about their Confirmation which the Bishop will celebrate on May 20, 2011. As always they were alive with questions. “How long does it take to become a Bishop?” “Did you always want to be a Bishop?” “Why did you become a priest?” “Why did God choose Mary to be the Mother of Jesus?” “Is it wrong for a Catholic to believe in evolution?” “Do you think there will ever be women priests?” “Do you think followers of Islam will go to heaven?” “Are you afraid to die?” “How many countries have you visited?” “Have you ever met the Pope?” “What was your favorite subject in school?” “What is your Confirmation name?” “What kind of dog do you have?” “How can you be sure your conscience is telling you what is right and wrong?” “What would you be if you were not a Bishop?” “Is it ok to question some Catholic beliefs?” “What is your favorite Bible quotation?” After answering as many questions as possible, the Bishop focused on the need for the students to work and pray for vocations to the priesthood so urgently needed in our Diocese. He urged each of the seventh and eighth grade boys to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and respond generously if they feel that the Lord is calling them to serve His people as priests.

At the end of his conversation with the students, he asked the entire school body to pray for him and his ministry. He assured everyone of his prayers as well.