Pope Francis Dismisses Bishop Strickland Amidst Controversy

Pope Francis has made the rare decision to dismiss Bishop Joseph E. Strickland from Tyler, Texas, who has been an outspoken critic of the pope and his policies. In a statement released by the Vatican on Saturday, it was announced that Bishop Strickland had been relieved of his duties.

Typically, bishops are asked to submit their resignation to the pope before being relieved of their duties, but in this case, Pope Francis chose to dismiss Bishop Strickland outright. This drastic move is usually reserved for situations where a bishop refuses to resign when requested. Strickland, who is 65 years old and not yet at the retirement age for bishops, had previously stated that he would refuse to resign if asked.

Bishop Strickland, known for his active presence on social media, has been critical of Pope Francis and his efforts to make the Church more inclusive and open to the LGBT community. He has also opposed the pope’s attempts to give more responsibility to lay people in the Church. Strickland’s dismissal follows a Vatican investigation into the administration of the Tyler diocese, which reportedly included a review of his handling of financial matters.

The decision to dismiss Bishop Strickland was announced simultaneously by the Vatican and the U.S. Bishops Conference, although neither statement provided a specific reason for the dismissal. Strickland has not yet responded to the news, and the diocese of Tyler has stated that they are closed for the weekend.

Bishop Strickland has gained a national following beyond the small diocese of Tyler due to his staunch conservative views. He is a supporter of former U.S. president Donald Trump and is seen as a hero by conservative U.S. Catholic media outlets aligned with Trump. Last year, when the Vatican defrocked a similarly conservative U.S. anti-abortion priest, Strickland publicly defended him against the Vatican’s actions.

Following his dismissal, Pope Francis has named Bishop Joe Vasquez of Austin, Texas, as the interim administrator of the Tyler diocese.