Pope Francis on Saturday dismissed Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland, an outspoken conservative and one of his fiercest and most vocal critics.
The Vatican in a brief statement confirmed that Francis “relieved” the 65-year-old Strickland of the pastoral governance of the eastern Texas Tyler Diocese and appointed Bishop Joe Vasquez of the Austin Diocese as the temporary administrator.
The dismissal comes after an investigation — called an “apostolic visitation” — earlier this year into the administration of the Tyler Diocese, which reportedly included a review of Strickland’s handling of financial affairs.
It was announced simultaneously by the Vatican and the U.S. Bishops Conference, though neither explained what specifically triggered the probe, carried out by Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, N.J., and Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tucson.
“As a result of the Visitation, the recommendation was made to the holy father that the continuation in office of Bishop Strickland was not feasible,” Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, metropolitan archbishop of Galveston-Houston, said in a statement.
The findings of the investigation were not released.
Strickland had repeatedly refused to voluntarily resign from his post, handed to him by the late Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. On Thursday, he again declined a request to resign, DiNardo said.
Strickland shot to prominence through social media, where he often criticizes Pope Francis and trumpets some of his more conservative viewpoints. In a tweet this year, Strickland said he rejected Francis’ “program undermining the deposit of faith.”
He’s also lambasted the Argentine pontiff’s efforts to make the church more welcoming to the LGBTQ community as well as his push to provide laypeople more opportunities.
Strickland is also a vocal critic of President Biden’s White House. Following his win in 2020, the ex-prelate tweeted that “A dark cloud has descended on this nation when the USCCB [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] and Planned Parenthood speak in unison in support of a Biden-Harris administration that supports the slaughter of innocents by abortion for all 9 months of pregnancy.”
With News Wire Services
Jessica Schladebeck
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