I just moved from the Belleville Diocese to Chicago. It is nothing like St. Louis and it is in really bad shape. There is a critical priest shortage and vocations are practically dry. Ironically, the region is very conservative but the diocese is basically run by extreme heterodox priests and religious. Liturgical abuse is rampant and in some parishes it can make you sick.
I am not sure what to make of Bp. Braxton, but the Fellowship of Southern IL Laity is the Call to Action contingent down here. Furthermore James Margason is currently in charge of two parishes- one consecrates honey cakes- the other stands for the during the consecration. Anything to make them unhappy is great. Of course they wanted a "pastoral" bishop like Gregory that they could manipulate and brow beat.
He really needs to put an end to the parish clustering. This spread the priests out and of course Bp. Gregory allowed feminist unhabited nuns to be pastoral associate. The old parish I attended is one of those clustered- the first thing she did was put her name at Pastor and referred to the priests who conducted masses as "sacramental ministers"
Thanks for your insight into this wierd situation! I had not heard about the heterodoxies going on in the Belleville diocese. I guess I had assumed that Gregory was running a tight ship. It just amazes me how often radical liberal clergy are able to get a foothold in conservative areas.