Pope Francis dismissed prominent conservative critic Bishop John Strickland, of Tyler, Texas, on Saturday, following an investigation earlier this year into the firebrand’s diocese.
Pope Francis dismissed prominent conservative critic Bishop John Strickland, of Tyler, Texas, on Saturday, following an investigation earlier this year into the firebrand’s diocese.
The Vatican did not explain the reasoning for Strickland’s firing.
The move was seen as an extraordinary measure since problematic bishops in the Catholic church are usually asked or pushed to resign in lieu of an outright removal.
“The Holy Father has relieved from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Tyler (US) Joseph E. Strickland,” the Vatican said in a brief statement, adding that Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin had been named apostolic administrator of the diocese.
Strickland’s sacking came months after the Vatican launched an investigation, called an “apostolic visitation” by the church, into the Tyler diocese in June.
One US cardinal said the probe covered “all aspects of governance and leadership” in the diocese.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas, said that following the probe, it was “not feasible” for Strickland to remain in his role.
Strickland, who has aligned himself with the ultra-conservative wing of the US Catholic Church, refused to resign when asked to do so on Thursday, prompting Pope Francis’ intervention, DiNardo said.
Earlier this year, Strickland said that he would refuse to resign if asked to do so.
Appointed to the diocese in 2012 by the late Pope Benedict, Strickland emerged as one of the harshest critics of Pope Francis, claiming on X earlier this year that he rejected the Church leader’s “program undermining the Deposit of Faith.”
Strickland is vocally opposed to Pope Francis’ efforts to help the LGBTQ community feel more welcome in the Catholic Church, as well as efforts to give everyday individuals more responsibility.
Ahead of the October synod, he wrote in an August letter that an “evil and false message” had “invaded” the church.
Last year, Strickland was one of the few American bishops to publicly defend anti-abortion priest Frank Pavone when the Vatican defrocked him over the clergyman’s “blasphemous” social media posts.
“The blasphemy is that this holy priest is canceled while an evil president promotes the denial of truth and the murder of the unborn at every turn, Vatican officials promote immorality and denial of the deposit of faith and priests promote gender confusion devastating lives…evil,” Strickland wrote on X at the time.