The Vatican announced Saturday that the pope has fired Joseph Strickland, a conservative American bishop who had repeatedly criticized him over his papacy. Joseph Strickland was founded in 2012 by former Pope Benedict XVI. appointed bishop of Tyler, Texas.
Published on: November 11, 2023 – 10:30 p.m
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It’s a rare decision. Pope Francis has fired American Bishop Joseph Strickland, a prominent conservative who was removed from office after he repeatedly criticized his papacy, the Vatican announced Saturday, Nov. 11.
“The Holy Father has reported to the pastoral leadership of the Diocese of Tyler (USA) Joseph E. Strickland,” the Vatican announced in a press release, a few weeks after Pope Francis sent two American bishops to the Diocese of Joseph Strickland, Texas, in June.
The bishop of Austin, Joe Vasquez, has been appointed apostolic administrator of the diocese, this text continues without further details.
According to commentators, it is extremely rare for a bishop to be directly relieved of his responsibilities rather than encouraged or ordered to resign.
In a blog posted on his website in September, Archbishop Strickland responded to rumors that the Vatican was encouraging him to resign. “I cannot resign as Bishop of Tyler because to do so would be to abandon the flock in my care,” he wrote. “I have also stated that I will respect the authority of Pope Francis if he removes me as Bishop of Tyler.
Joseph Strickland had no immediate comment on his firing, which was announced Saturday while it was still early morning in the United States.
He wrote in his blog in September: “I love Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church he founded.” “My only desire is to speak his truth and live God’s will to the best of my ability.”
One of the most critical of Pope Francis
The Vatican did not provide any details about what triggered this summer’s apostolic visit or the conclusions it reached. Joseph Strickland wrote that the two bishops had been in discussions for a week about the situation in the diocese, including with him.
The Texas bishop, who was appointed by former Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. was one of Pope Francis’ most prominent critics.
The 86-year-old Argentine pope has tried to make the church more compassionate and open to different viewpoints. However, he faced strong resistance from his critics, particularly in the United States, who accused him of causing confusion and disrespecting the core beliefs of Catholics.
In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year, Joseph Strickland accused the pope of “undermining the deposit of faith.”
Many of his critics criticize that Pope Francis is not decisive enough on the issue of abortion and has too much compassion for homosexuals and divorcees.
At a Jesuit meeting in Lisbon, Pope Francis lamented the “strongly reactionary attitude” of some Catholics in the United States. He said looking to the past was “unnecessary and necessary to understand that there is appropriate evolution in the way we approach questions of faith and morality.”
The decision to fire Joseph Strickland was also announced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in a statement as brief as that of the Vatican.
According to the conference, the Diocese of Tyler has more than 120,000 Catholics out of a total population of more than 1.4 million.
The diocese, for its part, posted a statement on its website confirming the Vatican’s announcement and adding, “Our work as the Catholic Church in Northeast Texas continues.”
With AFP