Edward Braxton

The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton
Bishop of Belleville
Installed	June 22, 2005
Other posts	Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis (1995–2000) Bishop of Lake Charles (2001–2005)
Orders
Ordination	May 13, 1970 by John P. Cody
Consecration	May 17, 1995 by Justin F. Rigali, J. Terry Steib, and Paul A. Zipfel
Personal details
Birth name	Edward Kenneth Braxton
Born	(1944-06-28) June 28, 1944 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	St. Mary of the Lake Seminary (M.A., S.T.L.) Catholic University of Louvain (Ph.D., S.T.D.)

Styles of Edward Braxton
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	none

Edward Kenneth Braxton (born (1944-06-28)June 28, 1944) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has served as Bishop of the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois since 2005.

Biography

Ordination and ministry

Braxton was ordained as a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 13, 1970.

Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis

Braxton was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis by Pope John Paul II on March 28, 1995. He was consecrated by Justin Francis Rigali on May 17, 1995 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.

Bishop of Lake Charles, Louisiana

Bishop Braxton was installed as Bishop of Lake Charles on February 21, 2001.

Bishop of Belleville, Illinois

On June 22, 2005 he was installed as Bishop of Belleville in the Cathedral of Saint Peter. He succeeded a fellow African American prelate, Wilton D. Gregory. He is a member of USCCB's Committees on Education, Science and Human Values, and also of the committee on Scripture Translation. He serves as the convenor of the African American Catholic Bishops. He earned his MA and S.T.L. from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois and a Ph.D in Religious Studies and S.T.D. in Systematic Theology from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

Braxton, a native of Chicago, has long been involved in interracial and intercultural dialogue. He has lectured in major cities and townships of South Africa during their annual "winter school." His participation in Jewish-Christian dialogue has taken him to Israel several times. Bishop Braxton's personal interest in the impact of the arts (especially film, television, music, architecture, sculpture, and painting) on religion in contemporary culture is a key factor in his current research. In August 1997, he addressed the National Black Catholic Congress on the topic "Take Into account Various Situations and Cultures: Evangelization and African-Americans".

The Bishop's writings have appeared in the Harvard Theological Review, Theological Studies, Irish Theological Quarterly, The New Catholic Encyclopedia, Origins, Commonweal, America, The National Catholic Reporter, and other journals.

According to the Belleville News-Democrat, the Diocese of Belleville finance council filed a complaint with the Vatican that Braxton allegedly misused funds. These sentiments were first expressed in a letter written by Sister Jan. E. Renz, the U.S. regional superior of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ.

In February 2012, the Rev. William Rowe, pastor of Saint Mary's Church in Mount Carmel, Illinois, resigned after ongoing concern from Braxton about "how Father Rowe celebrated the Mass". The resignation specifically followed the "implementation of the new [English translation of the] Roman Missal in late November" 2011, after which Braxton placed greater emphasis on following the translation exactly during mass. However, Braxton's concerns were not new, and "several meetings ... over the last five years [had] failed to resolve the bishop's concerns."

On one hand, "Bishop Braxton said one of Father Rowe's parishioners had expressed dismay about the manner in which he celebrated Mass." On the other hand, Rev. Rowe explained that he was changing the wording because the church starts with the people".

See also

• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

External links

• National Black Catholic Congress bio of Edward Braxton
• Diocesean bio
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles Website

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Wilton Daniel Gregory	Bishop of Belleville 2005 – Present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Jude Speyrer	Bishop of Lake Charles 2000–2005	Succeeded by Glen John Provost
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis 1995–2000	Succeeded by –