Pope Francis has made the rare decision to dismiss US bishop Joseph Strickland, a prominent conservative who has been an outspoken critic of the papacy. The Vatican did not provide an explanation for the move, but it is believed to be related to concerns over Strickland’s leadership and governance of the Tyler diocese in Texas. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who is also from Texas, revealed that an inquiry into Strickland’s diocese had deemed it “not feasible” for him to continue in office. Strickland was asked to resign but refused, leading to his dismissal by the Pope. The bishop of Austin, Joe Vasquez, has been appointed as the apostolic administrator of the diocese. Strickland, appointed by Benedict XVI in 2012, has been one of Pope Francis’ most vocal critics. The Pope has faced opposition from critics in the US who accuse him of causing confusion and deviating from key Catholic beliefs. Strickland, in particular, has rejected the Pope’s program and has been critical of his stance on issues such as abortion, homosexuality, and divorce. This rare move by Pope Francis to dismiss a bishop directly is not unprecedented, as a similar situation occurred in March 2022 when a bishop in Puerto Rico was dismissed without reason. The decision to dismiss Strickland followed months of careful consideration, according to Cardinal DiNardo. The Tyler diocese has over 120,000 Catholics out of a total population of over 1.4 million people.
Pope Takes Unprecedented Action, Dismisses US Bishop Known for Fierce Criticism
