TYLER, Texas — On Saturday, Pope Francis officially dismissed Tyler Bishop Joseph Strickland from his position and appointed Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez to serve as a temporary apostolic administrator for the Diocese of Tyler.
Strickland's removal from office comes after he became an outspoken critic of Francis, posting conservative stances on social media that attack the Pontiff's role in the Catholic Church.
In September, Strickland said he would not resign from his role but would respect the decision if Pope Francis chose to remove him.
In a statement posted to the website for the Diocese of Austin, Bishop Vásquez explained how he would support the Diocese of Tyler pending the appointment of a new bishop.
"I accept the Holy Father's trust in me and ask your prayers as I take on this additional responsibility," said Vásquez, "Over the next few weeks, I will be travelling to the Diocese of Tyler to be present to the clergy, diocesan staff, and lay faithful and to assess their needs."
There is no prescribed time in which a new Bishop of Tyler will be appointed, leaving it to the hands of Pope Francis to make the call.
A statement from the Diocese of Tyler reads, "Our work as the Catholic Church in northeast Texas continues. Our mission is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to foster an authentic Christian community, and to serve the needs of all people with compassion and love. We strive to deepen our faith, promote the common good, and create a welcoming environment for all to encounter the loving God – Father, Son, and Spirit."
Cardinal DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston released a statement saying in part, "In June of this year, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, directed that an Apostolic Visitation of the Diocese of Tyler should be conducted. Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden and Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tucson were appointed to conduct the Visitation. The Prelates conducted an exhaustive inquiry into all aspects of the governance and leadership of the Diocese of Tyler by its Ordinary, Bishop Joseph Strickland."
Cardinal DiNardo also offered his prayers to the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler.
Fort Worth Bishop Michael F. Olsen released a statement saying, "As the Holy See has announced, after exhaustive inquiry into all aspects of the governance and leadership of the Diocese of Tyler by its Ordinary, Bishop Joseph Strickland, the Holy Father has decided that it is in the best interests of the pastoral care of the souls of the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler and of Bishop Strickland to bring his tenure as the bishop of Tyler to an end. Such a transition is very sad and painful for so many. Therefore, let us keep Pope Francis, Bishop Strickland, the clergy, consecrated religious men and women, the seminarians, all the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler, and Bishop Vasquez in our prayers that the peace of Christ might reign in the hearts of all."
Below are reactions from religious leaders found on social media:
CBS19 has reached out to Texas Representative Jay Dean and other local churches for comment and has not heard back yet.
