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dialogue of renewal begins

      Bishop Edward K. Braxton and the Steering Committee for the Dialogue of Renewal in the Diocese of Belleville participated in two day-long meetings August 5-6, 2008 to begin the Dialogue of Renewal among priests in the Diocese and between the priests and the Bishop.

      Working with consultants Tom Reid and Maureen Gallagher of The Reid Group, the Bishop and the Presbyteral Council agreed to the Dialogue of Renewal  in early July, to be guided by a Steering Committee comprised of six priests appointed by Bishop Braxton.  Two were selected by the Bishop and two were recommended to him by the Presbyteral Council. These priests along with the Vicar General and the Chairman of the Presbyteral Council, all appointed by the Bishop, became the Steering Committee.  The members of the Steering Committee are the Very Reverend John W. McEvilly, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia; the Reverend Jerry E. Wirth, Presbyteral Council Chairman; the Reverend Monsignor James A. Buerster; the Reverend Daniel J. Jurek; the Very Reverend John T. Myler; and the Reverend Dennis F. Voss. 

       The Bishop began the meetings by asking everyone to be mindful of these words from St. Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians. “Bear with one another. Forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. You must forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven you. May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts so that everything you do and say will be in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”. (3: 12-16) The wide ranging discussions among the members of the Steering Committee and between the Bishop and the Committee members took place in an atmosphere which, according to participants, everyone spoke freely and raised any topics or concerns they wished. The topics discussed included genuine communication, mutual trust, appropriate collaboration, transparency, financial issues, and accountability.  All conversations, marked by mutual respect, took place in a context of prayer.

       Commenting on the two days together, Fr. Wirth said, “This is another step. The real fruit is how we live this out.”

       Bishop Braxton and the Steering Committee also discussed the content and format for the Convocation of Priests scheduled for September 15-18 in which all of the priests of the Diocese participate.  The Bishop said he made the decision to focus on the Dialogue of Renewal during the Convocation in the hope that these days would be the “engine” generating the initial energy and openness needed for the ongoing Dialogue of Renewal in the months ahead.  The Steering Committee made observations and suggestions about the plans for the Convocation. These will be shared with the Priestly Formation Committee which works on the final program of the Convocation. A key resource for the Convocation will be four articles on the relationship between priests and their Bishop and dialogue questions about matters of concern to the Bishop and the priests.  The conversations and questions of the Convocation will be carried forward into three facilitated regional meetings with priests and Bishop Braxton which will be scheduled for the fall.

      Commenting on the plans for the Convocation, Fr. Dan Jurek said, “If my brothers come to this Convocation with open hearts and minds, we can move forward in a spirit of hopefulness.”

     Bishop Braxton thanked The Reid Group for offering its services to the Diocese at a discount. He said that Convocation funds and Continuing Education of Priests funds would cover part of the costs. He said that the total expenditure for The Reid Group’s on-going consultation and participation is in the budget for this fiscal year and it will not exceed $30,000.  He also said that the relationship with The Reid Group is presently scheduled to end after the regional meetings.

      The Bishop and the Steering Committee discussed the possibility sharing some aspects of the Dialogue of Renewal with the Christian Faithful by making some of the Convocation materials available on the website of the Diocese, discussing the Convocation at the Presbyteral Council meeting prior to the Convocation, and providing an overview of the Dialogue of Renewal to the Diocesan Pastoral Council at its next meeting. They also discussed inviting the People of God to gather in their parish churches to pray for the priests and the Bishop during the Convocation.

     As the meetings drew to a close, Bishop Braxton noted that August 6 was the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ and the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Pope Paul VI, who asked for a renewal of faithful dialogue within the Church in his first Encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam. The Bishop prayed, “Father, Your Spirit changes our hearts. Those who were estranged join hands in friendship and understanding puts and end to strife.”