Supplements

 

Bishop Braxton

Bishop Braxton Reflects on First Year in Diocese of Belleville

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

On Thursday, June 22, the Feast of St. Thomas More, I celebrated the First Anniversary of my Installation as the Eighth Bishop of Belleville. On this first anniversary, I write to express my gratitude to all of the members of this Local Church who welcomed, supported, and encouraged me in so many ways as I began my pastoral service. I have appreciated and enjoyed the challenges and opportunities presented to me by providence as leader of the Church in Southern Illinois.

In my installation homily I said that with your prayers, it was my wish “to be the best human being, the best Christian, the best priest, and the best bishop that I can be,” and that, like St Thomas More, it was my wish “to say none harm, do none harm, and think none harm.”

During this past year, I have moved about the Diocese of Belleville in many diverse pastoral activities. I have had several meetings with our priests, deacons, seminarians, religious, and representatives of the Christian faithful. I have visited each deanery for Mass and conversation with pastoral ministers. I have made pastoral visitations to each of our Catholic high schools and elementary schools. I have prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit during the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation at many of our parishes. I have had the privilege of praying with the sick in our hospitals and joining many families in prayer for their loved ones who have died. I have made an effort to contact every household in the diocese when there has been a death in the family. I am getting to know our hard-working farmers at the fall and spring Farm Blessings.

I have enjoyed celebrating Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter and other diocesan parishes and giving adult education lectures and various diocesan conferences. I have participated in many services at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows. I have hosted the first annual “come and see” Saturday morning for young men who might be interested in the priesthood. I have also hosted lunches, dinners, and other visits at my residence for people from all over the diocese. I have shared my thoughts by writing occasional reflections for our diocesan newspaper, The Messenger. Most significantly, I have recently ordained a new priest for the service of our diocese. I have welcomed couples to the Cathedral for the inaugural celebration in honor of silver and golden Jubilarians. These faith-filled experiences have given me a real awareness of the desire of our faithful people to witness to the wonders God is working in us and through us by the power of the Spirit. I take great inspiration from the lives of all of you who are living the mystery proclaimed by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI , in his first Encyclical Letter, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love).

I will soon mail to every household in the Diocese my Pastoral letter, “We Are His Witnesses: Our Spirit-Filled Mission as the Church in Southern Illinois.” The Pastoral Letter can also be found on the diocesan web site, www.diobelle.org and The Messenger web site, www.bellevillemessenger.org.

I encourage everyone to read this Letter, to reflect on its contents and to discuss it with the members of their families and in all of the organizations (for example: the parish pastoral councils) that contribute to the life of the Church. If you do not receive your copy of the Pastoral Letter, please inform your Pastor or Parish Life Coordinator so that a copy may be sent to you. It is my hope that the thoughts that I share with you in this letter will contribute to an ongoing conversation that will help all of us to understand better our vocations as members of the Church and witnesses to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Let us continue to pray for one another, and may the Lord continue to bless you and those who are dear to you in the year ahead.

Prayerfully and appreciatively yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton
Bishop of Belleville