Pope sparks outrage after firing anti-LGBTQ Texas bishop: “Dictator”

Pope Francis has received backlash for his decision to remove Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, who has been a vocal critic of Francis’ efforts to make the church more welcoming for the LBGTQ+ community.

Strickland has publicly scrutinized Francis for the Pope’s attempt to change the Church’s position on social issues, such as transgender rights and same-sex marriage.

In August, Strickland wrote an open letter to the “sons and daughters in Christ,” where he reiterated the “basic truths” of the Church, including how God sees marriage as “between one man and one woman” and how a “disordered attempt to reject” someone’s “undeniable biological and God-given identity” should not be supported.

Most recently, Strickland called Francis’ three-week long closed-door meeting on controversial issues facing the Church a “travesty.” Francis hosted the meeting in October, discussing issues like women in governance roles and welcoming LGBTQ+ members into the Church.

Strickland’s governance of the diocese was investigated earlier this year by the Vatican. Following their investigation, a recommendation was given to Francis that “the continuation in office of Bishop Strickland was not feasible,” said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the head of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas, on Saturday. The investigation’s findings were never released.

The Vatican asked Strickland to resign on Thursday. When Strickland refused to resign, Francis removed him from office on Saturday, according to DiNardo’s statement. Strickland had insisted that he would not voluntarily leave his position in the church, saying in media interviews that he was given a mandate to serve by the late Pope Benedict XVI and couldn’t abdicate that responsibility.

Newsweek reached out to Strickland and the Vatican via email for comment.

Those in the Catholic community were outraged by Francis’ decision to remove Strickland, with some calling the pope a “dictator.”

Lepanto Institute, an organization that describes itself as committed to the “defense of the Catholic Church,” wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, “Like a Soviet-era dictator, and in a raw exercise of power without provision of law, Pope Francis has removed Bp. Joseph Strickland as bishop of Tyler, TX.”

Frank Pavone, a laicized Catholic priest and anti-abortion activist announced the news of Strickland’s firing. “No reason given. But reasons should be given, out of respect for everyone impacted by this decision. We see a tyrannical weaponization of both civil and ecclesiastical government.”

Arcivescovo Carlo Maria Viganò, a bishop who is a Vatican whistleblower and critic of Francis called Strickland’s removal “a cowardly form of authoritarianism” in a post on X. Meanwhile, Catholic writer Peter Kwasniewkski posted “Tyranny pure and simple,” in response to Strickland being fired.

Retired U.S. General Michael Flynn, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, stood behind Strickland and wrote on X: “I want to make sure we don’t lose sight of who is among the top of the pyramid of the globalist elite trying to take over the world by first destroying it then ‘building it back better’ in their image. One of those at the very top is @Pontifex(Pope Francis).”

Meanwhile, Dr. Taylor Marshall, a Catholic YouTube commentator, posted, “This is a very sad moment for the Catholic Church in Texas and throughout the world. Pray for Bishop Strickland and pray for those who removed him.”

The Vatican confirmed that Strickland was “relieved” of the pastoral governance of Tyler and said that the bishop of Austin, Joe S. Vásquez, was appointed as the temporary administrator.

Strickland has not directly responded to his removal, but he did write on X on Saturday, “Rejoice always that…no matter what the day brings Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, yesterday, today and forever. May the saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary always inspire us to return to Christ no matter how we may wander into darkness. Jesus is Light from Light.”