by Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has removed from office the Bishop of Tyler, Texas, Joseph E. Strickland, one of his fiercest critics among American Catholic conservatives, according to a Vatican statement released on Saturday .
It is very rare that a Roman Catholic bishop is simply relieved of his duties. Usually, bishops in trouble with the Vatican are asked to leave before submitting their resignation, which is accepted by the pope.
Popes take such measures, considered radical, when a bishop refuses a resignation request. Joseph E. Strickland is 65 years old, 10 years below the usual retirement age for bishops.
Bishop of the diocese since 2012, the prolific social media user tweeted earlier this year that he rejected the “pope’s agenda that undermines the deposit of faith.”
The revocation follows a Vatican investigation earlier this year into the administration of the Diocese of Tyler that, according to Catholic media, included a review of the handling of the bishop’s financial affairs.
The revocation was announced simultaneously by the Vatican and the United States Bishops’ Conference, which did not explain the reasons for the bishop’s dismissal. He did not respond immediately.
Pope Francis has named Austin, Texas, Bishop Joe Vasquez as interim administrator of the diocese, according to the release.
(Reporting by Phil Pullella, French version Benjamin Mallet)
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