Pope Francis has forcibly removed Bishop Joseph Strickland from his position as the bishop of Tyler, Texas. The bishop, known for his conservative views and active presence on social media, has been a vocal critic of the pontiff and some of his priorities. The Vatican released a brief statement stating that Francis had “relieved” Strickland of his pastoral governance and appointed the bishop of Austin as the temporary administrator.
Strickland’s criticisms of Francis have been public, with the bishop accusing the pontiff of “undermining the deposit of faith” in a tweet earlier this year. He specifically took issue with Francis’ recent meeting on the future of the Catholic Church. In response to reports of Strickland making doctrinally unorthodox claims, the Vatican launched an investigation into his governance of the diocese.
The findings of the investigation have not been made public, but Strickland had made it clear that he would not resign voluntarily. He claimed to have a mandate to serve from the late Pope Benedict XVI. It is unclear what specific actions or statements led to Francis’ decision to remove him from office.
The appointment of the bishop of Austin as the temporary administrator suggests that the Vatican is taking immediate steps to ensure the smooth functioning of the diocese. It remains to be seen what long-term implications this decision will have on the relationship between Pope Francis and conservative members of the Catholic Church.
