Posted on 09/11/2023 11:15:16 AM PDT by ebb tide
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis met with Vatican officials over the weekend to discuss asking Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, to resign, according to a report on Monday by The Pillar.
Pope Francis met on Saturday with Archbishop Robert Prevost, OSA, the head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, and Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The Pillar reported that several sources close to the dicastery told the outlet ahead of the meeting that the two prelates, both of whom Pope Francis named cardinals in July, would present the pope with the results of a recent apostolic visitation of the Diocese of Tyler in addition to “public actions” of Bishop Strickland following the visitation.
Pope Francis is expected to ask for Bishop Strickland’s resignation, according to one senior official close to the Dicastery for Bishops.
“The situation of Bishop Strickland is the agenda,” the official told The Pillar, “and the expectation is that the Holy Father will be requesting his resignation — that will certainly be the recommendation put to him.”
“The official predicted that the pope was unlikely to decide to depose Strickland as bishop of his diocese, a canonically rare act, but told The Pillar that Pope Francis would be advised to encourage the bishop to resign,” The Pillar reported.
“The consensus in the dicastery is that he will be asked to consider resigning,” the official said. “That has been the substance of discussion among the members.”
“Depending on how the bishop responds, the strength of that encouragement could be increased,” the official added.
The potential move by Francis comes against one of the most forthright and vocal bishops in the United States, who has drawn considerable support both from within and without his diocese for his promotion of traditional Catholic teaching.
Strickland and his diocese have been the subject of much scrutiny among the Catholic media ever since it was revealed that he was subject to an Apostolic Visitation in June 2023. His visitation was conducted by two retired bishops: Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden, New Jersey, and former Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona.
READ: Who is this bishop investigating Bishop Strickland on behalf of Pope Francis?
Kicanas was widely noted by Catholics concerned about the visitation due to his troublesome record on abortion and homosexuality. He defended Catholic Relief Services’s funding of pro-abortion groups in 2012, and (among other things) was endorsed by a homosexual group in the likelihood of his becoming president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, as LifeSite’s John-Henry Westen has reported.
No public announcement regarding the outcome of Stricklands’ visitation had been issued to the public prior to The Pillar’s report.
Speaking on a July episode of The Bishop Strickland Hour, Strickland compared the Apostolic Visitaiton with “being called to the principal’s office.” But he suggested that it is a result of his vocal witness to Catholic teaching:
No, it’s not something that I would volunteer for, to go through an apostolic visitation. Because it kind of puts a shadow over the diocese, [and] a lot of people are convinced that there’s something really wrong. But I think that I went through this because I’ve been bold enough and love the Lord enough and His Church to simply keep preaching the truth.
Bishop Strickland is well known among LifeSite readers for his outspoken defense of Catholic teaching, teaching which is often cast in confusion by Papal statements or messages.
Strickland’s more public positions on moral and doctrinal issues include urging Francis to deny Holy Communion to former U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi over her support of legal abortion, accusing the pope of a “program of undermining the Deposit of Faith,” and condemning the prominent pro-LGBT “blasphemy” of Fr. James Martin S.J.
He has also been notably forthright on moral controversies in U.S. politics and culture, including the Biden administration’s spying on Catholics, public displays by self-described “Satanic” groups, and most recently speaking at a protest of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ baseball team for hosting an anti-Catholic drag queen troupe called the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which styles themselves as grotesque nuns.
But the Apostolic Visitation is believed to have been particularly prompted by a May 13 Twitter post in which he explicitly stated that: “I reject his [Pope Francis’] program of undermining the Deposit of Faith.”
Strickland’s statement came about due to doubling down on his prior rejection of a view held by Catholic podcaster Patrick Coffin – namely that Pope Francis is not the real pope. The bishop wrote:
Please allow me to clarify regarding, ‘Patrick Coffin has challenged the authenticity of the Pope Francis.’ If this is accurate I disagree, I believe Pope Francis is the Pope but it is time for me to say that I reject his program of undermining the Deposit of Faith. Follow Jesus.
Strickland’s original message had been to support the Magis Center, which had issued a public statement distancing themselves from Coffin due to his views regarding the vacancy of the Papal throne.
Father Robert Spitzer S.J., president of the Center, had given an interview with Coffin before learning of Coffin’s position. Spitzer subsequently withdrew his connection from Coffin publicly. This action Bishop Strickland supported, saying that “I join Fr Spitzer and fully endorse his stance regarding any statements from Patrick Coffin regarding Pope Francis.”
Shortly after, the Tyler-based prelate then issued a message warning about “conflicting voices,” and urging instead that Catholics “always turn to Jesus.”
While speaking on his eponymous show in July, Strickland declared himself undeterred by any attempts to censor his proclamation of the truths of the Catholic faith, saying it is a “joy” to continue to “share the Good News of Jesus Christ.”
“I know they won’t stop you and they won’t stop me. And we do it with love, and charity and clarity, and with humility, always ready to be corrected. But when we’re speaking of the truth of Jesus Christ, there is no correction. The world can try and shout us down, but it won’t work.”
This story is developing….
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I expect that Bishop Strickland will be happy to tell the Holy Father that he is willing to consider resigning.
However, after due consideration, I would be very surprised if he came to any conclusion other than that he will be happy to submit his resignation when he turns 75, as required by canon law, and before then if some other circumstance seems to warrant it.
Unless Francis has only complete imbeciles working for him, this should be anticipated, which should lead to a different sort of recommendation other than that anticipated by the article.
That said, it is entirely possible that Francis only has complete imbeciles on this commission. In which case it is time to buy stock in popcorn.
Just for reference he’s 64, so well, below the mandatory retirement age.
No surprise if Pope Francis forces Bishop Strickland to resign. At least not quite as harshly done as when he got rid of that bishop in Puerto Rico not long ago.
Pope Francis….PROOF man is foulable including the cardinals responsible for divine guidance in selecting the next pope. The papalship like everything else is and has been compromised by the unelected powers that be for quite some time.
St Malachi’s prophecy that up until Francis had a perfect track record predicting every single pope from his time forward up until THE last pope. (Bible Describes a true prophet as one that’s never wrong). Question being….did Francis choose the name Francis so as to not fulfill the prophecy that he’s THE last pope? The Bible describes the last pope as the “false prophet”…Francis certainly fits the bill!
Current Pope can’t stand Catholics actually believing that Jesus guy. That’s trouble.
I’m cradle Catholic reluctantly going to a cowboy church because my local church had basically become a thinly-veiled pagan monstrosity that hates white people (and English speakers, in general).
I may have to drive from NM across TX just to go to a church in his diocese.
Pope Francis is 86, is he going to live to 97? When Bp Strickland is to retire?
Anti-pope. NOT the Pope. Squatting in the seat, this demon.
Sullivan is Bishop of Camden NJ diocese. Not a very nice fellow. Over 75 years old, Closing schools and parishes across South Jersey.
I would be surprised if he succeeds in forcing him to resign. He isn’t a European, and he isn’t from the American East.
If he asks him to resign he needs to be ready to face the consequences of taking a “no” for an answer or following up with attempting to sack him, which is an entierly different can of worms, and one that I doubt even Francis cares to open.
That’s why I hope that Rome, at least the part of Rome that supposedly “counts”, isn’t completely filled with imbecilles.
Do you mind if I asked where you are.
We have a priest that believes in the Catholic faith. He’s a terrible administrator but we care for the parish and the finances and run it by him for his approval.
Canonically, he has to offer his resignation at 75. Even that is thanks to Paul VI.
If this is a hill Francis opts to die on, things may get interesting real fast.
The strength of the encouragement can only be increased if Rome can offer carrots or sticks to which Strickland responds.
What are they going to do, take away his gun collection? He may not have one, and even if he did, I doubt that that would occur to them.
Pope Francis is consolidating power by eliminating dissenters. Even the 2 cardinals sent for this inquisition were appointed by Francis. Of course their recommendations matched that of the Pope.
He wasn’t expecting that.
OK to promote homos.
Not ok to preserve traditional Latin Mass.
This Pope needs to go. Not the Bishop from Tyler, Texas, even though Tyler is a famous hotbed of heresy and impiety (/s).
This pope, (not capitalized for this clown), is an apostate!
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