Early life Braxton was born on June 28, 1944, in
Chicago, Illinois, to Cullen L. Braxton Sr and Evelyn Braxton. He attended
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and Niles College Seminary, both in Chicago, then
St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in
Mundelein, Illinois. He earned Bachelor, Masters, and
Bachelor of Sacred Theology degrees, along with a
Licentiate in Sacred Theology. In 1973, Braxton entered the
Catholic University of Louvain in
Leuven, Belgium, earning a Doctor of Religious Studies degree and a
Doctor of Sacred Theology degree in
systematic theology, summa cum laude. While in Belgium, he ministered at US Armed Forces bases in the area and at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in
Brussels. In August 1997, Braxton addressed the
National Black Catholic Congress on the topic "Take Into account Various Situations and Cultures: Evangelization and African-Americans". He was installed on February 22, 2001. Braxton was installed on June 22, 2005, as bishop of Belleville in the
Cathedral of Saint Peter in Belleville, Illinois. He served as a member of
USCCB's Committees on Education, Science and Human Values, and also of the committee on Scripture Translation. In January 2006, 24 priests in the diocese signed a letter stating that Braxton was not allowing any of their input into decision-making and that he had an arrogant
leadership style. In February 2012, the Reverend William Rowe, pastor of Saint Mary's Church in
Mount Carmel, Illinois, resigned from his post after Braxton expressed concern about "how Father Rowe celebrated the Mass". Following the implementation of the new English translation of the
Roman Missal in late November 2011, Braxton had placed greater emphasis on following the translation exactly. However, Braxton's concerns predated that translation's use. He stated that "several meetings ... over the last five years [had] failed to resolve the bishop's concerns." "Several parishioners" had expressed dismay and furnished evidence about Rowe's celebration of the Mass. Rowe said "He mentioned in the letter that we clash in our ecclesiology — our image of the church. He’s right. He seems to consider the church as the bishops’, and my notion is that the church starts with the people." Another priest also resigned after Rowe. == Retirement ==