Thousands of Christians thanked Pope Francis and signed a petition supporting his decision to remove Joseph Strickland as the bishop of Tyler, Texas. The Vatican said Francis took Strickland out of his role and appointed the bishop of Austin as the temporary leader. This decision came after a Vatican investigation into Strickland, causing both support and criticism.
Some people signed a petition supporting Strickland, who had been critical of the pope. However, around 10,000 others signed a different petition thanking Pope Francis for removing Strickland. The petition praised the decision as good for truth, equality, and creating a more inclusive and loving church.
Strickland was known for his strong opinions against the pope’s efforts to welcome the LGBTQ+ community into the church. He also shared anti-vaccine messages and criticized President Joe Biden for supporting abortion rights.
The Faithful America group called Strickland a “partisan false prophet” and supported Pope Francis for the decision. The Vatican didn’t give specific reasons for Strickland’s removal, but Strickland mentioned his refusal to follow the pope’s rules about celebrating the old Latin Mass.
Despite the Vatican’s suggestion for Strickland to resign, he declined. As a result, on November 11, 2023, Pope Francis removed him from the position of bishop of Tyler.
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