CV NEWS FEED // Bishop Joseph Strickland said in a pastoral letter that he believes he was removed from as the bishop of Tyler, Texas, for “speaking the Truth of our Catholic faith” and for promulgating the Traditional Latin Mass.
“My main crime, then as now, seems to always have been about bringing to light that which others wanted to remain hidden,” Strickland wrote. “Sadly, it now seems that it is Truth Himself, Our Lord Jesus Christ, that many desire to be hidden.
The bishop summarized the reasons the Apostolic Nuncio gave him for his removal in a pastoral letter published on November 27.
“The reasons given seemed to be related, for the most part, to my speaking the Truth of our Catholic faith, and to my warnings against anything that threatened that Truth (including things that were being brought up at the Synod on Synodality),” he stated.
“In the reasons that were read to me, no mention was made of administrative problems or mismanagement of the diocese as the reasons for my removal,” he clarified.
The Apostolic Nuncio did not give him a copy of these reasons but read them aloud to him during their meeting.
“Although I am now without a diocese, I am still a bishop of the Church and therefore a successor of the apostles, and I must continue to speak Truth even if it requires my very life,”
“Also, mention was made of my not walking alongside my brother bishops as I defended the Church and her unchangeable teachings, and of my not implementing the motu proprio Traditionis custodes, which were I to have implemented, would have required me to leave part of my flock unfed and untended,” Strickland continued.
In July 2021, Pope Francis released the apostolic letter Traditionis custodes, which increased restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass.
“As a shepherd and protector of my Diocese, I could not take actions which I knew with certainty would injure part of my flock and deprive them of the spiritual goods which Christ entrusted to His Church,” Strickland wrote.
“I stand by my actions as they were necessary to protect my flock and to defend the Sacred Deposit of Faith.” he added:
I want to say this to all of you today – DO NOT ever, ever leave the Church! She is the Bride of Christ! She is now undergoing her Passion, and you must resolve to stand resolutely at the cross! It is important to attend Mass every Sunday and as often as possible, to spend time in adoration, to pray the Rosary daily, to go to confession regularly, and to call always upon the saints for assistance!