Bishop: Ad-libbing priest drew many complaints from parishioners

About 10 days ago, Rowe resigned his position of 17 years following a meeting in October at Braxton’s Belleville home, where the bishop informed Rowe that he must adhere to the liturgy of the church, especially as it is set out in a new version of the Roman Catholic Missal recently adopted that adheres more closely with previous Latin texts. Rowe has been a priest for 47 years. While his resignation will mean he will not have a ministry, Rowe will remain a priest.

Braxton said in his letter that he usually does not speak publicly on matters concerning his conversations with a priest, but felt compelled to do so in this matter. He described Rowe as a “good and sincere person” and stated that he did not “fire” him, but instead required that he stick to the rules of the church.

Braxton, who does not comment to local media, could not be reached for comment Thursday about his letter. Braxton is in Rome, where he is on a required visit to the Vatican. The Rev. John Myler, diocese spokesman, also could not be reached for comment.

In another development, Rowe said his parish council and school board are preparing a letter that will be presented to Braxton when he returns from Rome, possibly Monday.

“The idea is to approach the bishop when he comes home to ask him to maybe reconsider, not so much his holding on what’s right or wrong, but to see it as a pastoral thing, that maybe even though he doesn’t approve of what I do, perhaps, it’s causing more harm in the church to remove me than to allow me to do what he feels is wrong,” Rowe said Thursday.

Rowe’s resignation takes effect in June and was delayed to allow time for a replacement priest to be assigned to the parish, which has about 1,000 members. Rowe said he has served at St. Mary Parish for 17 years but has never taken a salary, preferring to rely only on a pension from the Air Force and Social Security. He said if Braxton will not allow him to remain in his parish, even though he has resigned and will not agree to adhere strictly to the liturgy, he may run a soup kitchen, perhaps in Belleville.

He said that in his meeting with Braxton in October at Braxton’s home in Belleville, the talk included a discussion on the meaning of the church.

“I think his idea of what the church is about, means what the bishops declare,” Rowe said, “And I told him, I think my idea of the church is a little more broad; what do all the people say?”