In a move that has stirred significant attention within the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has removed Bishop Joseph Strickland from his position as the head of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas. This development arrives as the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Fall Assembly opens this week in Baltimore, Maryland.

EWTN News Vatican correspondent Colin Flynn reports that the Vatican has not specified the reasons for Bishop Strickland’s removal, stating only that Pope Francis was “relieving him of his duties.” This decision follows a formal investigation, an Apostolic visitation, launched by the Vatican in June to scrutinize the governance and leadership of the Diocese of Tyler.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, commented on the outcome of the visitation, indicating that the continuation in office of Bishop Strickland was deemed unfeasible. Following months of careful deliberation by the Dicastery for Bishops and Pope Francis, Bishop Strickland was asked to resign on November 9, 2023, but he declined to do so.

While the findings of the Apostolic visitation have not been publicly disclosed, there is speculation among commentators that Bishop Strickland’s outspoken criticism of Pope Francis, particularly regarding the recent Synod on Synodality, may have played a role in his dismissal. In a tweet earlier this year, Bishop Strickland suggested that Pope Francis was “undermining the deposit of Faith.” In a public letter in August, he described proponents of certain changes to Church teachings as schismatic.

In an interview following his dismissal, Bishop Strickland described his situation as a storm but expressed his faith, stating, “I remain a bishop and a successor of the Apostles.”

The Vatican has appointed Bishop Joe Vasquez of Austin as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler. A new bishop for the diocese is expected to be named in the coming months.