Francis deposed a US bishop who criticized his papacy

The rare decision to remove a high-ranking cleric came after an apostolic visit to the diocese in June at the behest of the pope, the statement said.

Two American bishops appointed by the Pope who made the visit indicated in their conclusions that Bishop J. Strickland – a famous conservative who has repeatedly criticized Francis’ papacy – is not capable of properly leading the diocese.

After several months of consultations with the Bishops’ Dicastery, the Pope asked Bishop J. Strickland to resign from his position. The bishop announced on November 9 that he refuses to resign, as a result of which the Pope made a decision to remove him from the leadership of the diocese.

Bishop Joe Vasquez of Austin has been appointed interim apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Tyler.

The Vatican did not say why the apostolic visitation, announced by Mr. Strickland himself, was carried out. But Mr. Strickland, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, has been among Francis’ most vocal critics.

The 86-year-old Argentinian Pope aims to lead the Church on the path of greater compassion, openness to different opinions.

However, it faced strong opposition from critics, especially in the United States. These accuse the Pope of creating confusion and neglecting important Catholic principles.

Earlier this year, Mr. Strickland accused Francis of “undermining the heritage of faith” on the X social network.