Pause for a moment, now, and ask your guardian angel to guard you. Don’t be flowery. Ask.
We have all read with unsurprised shock the announcement in today’s Bollettino, ironically under “rinuncie e nomine… resignations and appointments”.
Sollevamento del Vescovo di Tyler (U.S.A.) e nomina dell’Amministratore Apostolico
Il Santo Padre ha sollevato dal governo pastorale della Diocesi di Tyler (U.S.A.) S.E. Mons. Joseph E. Strickland e ha nominato il Vescovo di Austin, S.E. Mons. Joe Vásquez, come Amministratore Apostolico della Diocesi resasi vacante.
In Italian, “sollevamento” is what you do in weightlifting. Bp. S got the “heave ho”.
It seems to me that they’ve created a martyr. John Henry Weston of LifeSite says he interviewed Bp. Strickland who said:
I stand by all the things that were listed as complaints against me. I know I didn’t implement Traditionis Custodes [the Pope Francis decree restricting the Traditional Latin Mass] because I can’t starve out part of my flock.” He added, “I’d do it the same way again. I feel very much at peace in the Lord and the Truth that He died for.
More than one thing. However, one seems to have been the big one.
I suspect we will see many more instances of cancelling now.
Were any of us surprised to read this news? Not a bit. It was merely a matter of timing. As one priest friend wrote to me: When a man plays blackjack and asks for a hit, he gets hit.
To use another image, if they are not shooting at you, you are not over the target.
No reasons were listed in the announcement. This was a personal decision of Francis. There seems not to have been a formal canonical procedure, which is the regular way of things in the Church to maintain good order. I suspect my vaticanisti friends back in Rome are asking questions in the Press Office… and receiving no answers. [More below]
My fear from this is that many of the faithful will be terribly scandalized and demoralized, perhaps to the point of making unhealthy decisions about their spiritual lives.
A couple weeks back in Rome I met Bp. Strickland for the first time face to face. We had a good conversation. During the course of the conference when there was prayer, I tuned in on him a little, because I know he has a strong discipline of prayer. “Yup”, I thought, “He prays.”
This discipline of prayer will be important for him in the near and far future. He’s going to have to decide how to deal with this. There will be great pressure on him now.
Prayer will be important to us in filtering and deciphering what his treatment means.
My strong suggesting is that if you find a story or podcast – I saw a bit of one yesterday by a lunatic spouting crazy stuff about Strickland – if you simply can’t pass it over, then ask your guardian angel to protect you while you spend time on it.
Can you take a little time in your day today to say at least a decade of the Rosary for Bp. Strickland?
Also, remember, if there is anyone out there who harmed you, or harmed someone near you, if there is anyone out there whom you are really struggling not to be angry at or even to hate, pray for that person. It is really hard to maintain angry or hateful thoughts toward someone for whom you are regularly and sincerely praying.
If they hate us, let’s not return the favor.
UPDATES:
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. pic.twitter.com/BInqtESYaH
— Bishop J. Strickland (@BishStrickland) November 11, 2023
From JH Westen we learn that one of the reasons Rome gave for +Strickland’s removal was his “failure to implement TC.” The good bishop says he couldn’t and wouldn’t implement a decree that starves the faithful, and he’d do the same thing over again. pic.twitter.com/8GBo7PD4Iv
— Peter Kwasniewski (@DrKwasniewski) November 11, 2023
Perhaps p. Strickland has been “Bynged”. As Voltaire would say: “Il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres.”
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The Bishop, and the priests and faithful of the diocese of Tyler, especially those attached to the Roman Rite, desperately need your prayers and those of all your readership, Father. Speaking as one of those faithful.
Sad thing is, I’m numb to it all. Francis could sacrifice a person on the main altar of St. Peter’s and it wouldn’t surprise me.
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This is a sad day. But, we know who wins. He can change the rules of the conclave, he can appoint a successor (I think it would be invalid), he can paint the Vatican pink. In the end Jesus Christ wins this and every battle.
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Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!
I am so sick of all this, but feel every day like I am just screaming at the sky. It’s time we had our voices heard. I plan on writing my bishop today. Is there anyone else we should write to? I won’t be mean, but I feel like it’s time for these bishops, cardinals, and the pope to hear how they hurt us every day. I want to ask the pope, in all earnestness, why do you hate us?
Shocking news. But, as you say, it’s also not a surprise. And Father, your advice to those of us in the pews on how to respond is, as usual, spot-on.
We live in a deeply disturbing time for the Church. But of course God in His wisdom put us here, at this specific time and not in another, because each of us has something we can contribute to help bring about His will in all this.
I dunno. This is Texas. Maybe the Bishop should stay right where he is and, along with the whole Diocese, yell “Come and Take It!” so the Pope has to send in the Swiss Guard to forcefully evict him.
Funny thing. I don’t recall news of any apostolic visitations of german bishops.
My thoughts go to St. Athanasius and to the heresy of Arianism. Most bishops at that time were in agreement with Arianism but Athanasius resisted.
If I were a Catholic in this diocese, my donations in the collection basket would consist of promisory notes to the effect of
“I owe you, upon the reinstatement of Bishop Strickland, $xx.xx”
OssaSola is correct. We all know that a future pope ordered a certain well known Jesuit to close his mouth and report to a monastery to live out the rest of his life in silence and prayer, he’s just refuse. It’s about time the other side took that same attitude instead of rolling over and playing dead all the time.
My reaction was actually happiness and encouragement.
There’s a bishop who went all the way for us.
Not that I’m not sorry about the injustice to Bishop Strickland, the great detriment to the priests and people of Tyler, and I’m sure I’ll be quite upset later and need my angel. But right now, there’s a bishop who went all the way for us.
You know why this happened? Because he holds fast to orthodox Catholicism.
Anyone who says otherwise would by default have to support the Cadaver Synod.
[I don’t get this. The Cadaver Synod was in the 9th c about Pope Formosus by Pope Stephen VI. What does that have to do with anything?]
Does not the church have an obligation to support him even though he is removed from his diocese? Will he be provided with a place to live and a salary? Or does he now join the large legion of cancelled clergy who are beggars?
Don’t pack his bags yet! Give God time to respond.
If the baddies are looking to crucify Bishop Strickland as an example, they have miscalculated. For starters, Americans, especially Texans (oh my gosh!) aren’t built that way. They aren’t going to back down because a baddie did a nasty thing, they are going to surge forward! We aren’t simpering subjects. We are the 300.
Bishop Strickland’s support is broad. He is well loved by ALL American Catholics. I predict this will blow up in their faces. There is no wealthier nation in the world than the USA. Where do you get the substantial portion of your funding Badicanni?
They’ve intended to make an example. Pray that God’s justice against all those who conspired against Bishop Strickland is swift and undeniable!
I for one will respond on Sunday, by not putting a red penny in the basket.
The money is what they want. They don’t care about Jesus Christ. Cut it off and they will vanish like smoke…Time for fasting.
Christians have no need for money. If the power bill needs paid, I’ll go down and pay it myself. Father needs food, I’ll take him shopping. Keep supporting the Church and her ministers, do NOT support the ape of the Church.
Honestly I haven’t put money in the basket for years. I give only to the priest, and via my time and talent or if it’s a large donation, earmarked for a specific purpose. “For the maintenance of the roof ONLY”. “For the training of an exorcist ONLY” Or I’ve also given miles to pay for the plane fare for a priest to go learn to be an exorcist. Engage those good brains God gave you! Be clever and gentle. And remember God is on the side of the just. I trust He will respond most appropriately.
Lifesite News reported on a speech Bishop Strickland made at a conference in Rome on October 31, in which he read a letter from a friend that said, “Would you now allow this one who has pushed aside the true Pope and has attempted to sit on a chair that is not his define what the Church is to be. ‘As for the beast, it was and is not. It is an eighth but it belongs to the seventh, and it goes to destruction.’” and this, “And yet this usurper of Peter’s chair has counted life as nought, for he has endangered souls by proclaiming that they are justified before God as they are, with no need of repentance.”
If he really said these things, was he saying he believes Francis is not the true Pope? If so, could this be why he was removed?
Is it ok for a bishop to publicly say those things? I am genuinely confused and want to know the truth. I have always supported Bishop Strickland.
[I was IN THE ROOM for that speech. Strickland was reading from a letter of a person who was evidently in great pain about the state of the Church. The letter was an object lesson about the confusion being sown and the consequence.]
My guess is that there will now be leaks, probably authorized, outlining the complaints against the good bishop. [Yup.] In addition to not implementing TC, which, if memory serves, was enough of an offense to get another US bishop sacked a little while ago, there will likely be reports that a number of priests and faithful were disaffected by Bishop Strickland. [Already happening.] Most likely that charge will not be elaborated but my guess would be that such folks were Boomers who, as we so often hear, suffered under the tough love of the pre-Vatican II establishment and parents, and now only want peace, love and kumbaya. This misfortune does not compare with the doctrinal and management outrages in Rome, but it does add to those things, contributing to a convergent view of the situation which would not be to Father Z’s liking.
[Now that Bp. Strickland is down, the papalatrous Left and sodomites will pile on to try to destroy his character. They’ve already started at Fishwrap. You’ll note in their article that the real point of contention (for them) is Strickland’s stand against approval of sodomy.]
Bishop Strickland is removed. Dubai cardinals get no response or vague answers.
Homo-heretics get private audiences. Pro abortion politicians are praised.
The world is about to get chastised. A good priest once told me that as Christ is the center of everything, by extension so is His Church. When things go bad in the Church then things will go very bad in the world. God preserve us from what is surely coming.
Another unemployed bishop. Another scandal. Another burst of demoralized Catholic leaving to cross the Bosporus or simply falling away.
We must pray for the pope and his Bergoglian mafia, because the millstones they are making for themselves are heavy enough to take them to the bottom of the sea.
So now what happens to him? Is he basically a freelance bishop? Can other bishops invite him into their Diocese to help with Traditional Confirmations, or is he forbidden from acting as a Bishop?
Those who love Bergoglio should honestly pray for him.
Bishop Strickland’s removal is ‘a blatant injustice’ says Bishop Schneider
‘The deposition of Bishop Joseph E. Strickland signifies a black day for the Catholic Church of our day,’ wrote Bishop Schneider.
Excerpt:
What happened to the bishops during the Arian crisis in the 4th century, who were deposed and exiled only because they intrepidly preached the traditional Catholic Faith, is again happening in our day.
At the same time several bishops, who publicly support heresy, liturgical abuses, gender ideology and openly invite their priests to bless same-sex couples, are not in the least importuned or sanctioned by the Holy See.
Old and busted: Oath Against Modernism
New and shiny: Oath Against Traditionalism
Not so long ago Bp Strickland linked to a video from The Remnant in which Michael Matt said “… it’s the true Church and a diabolically disoriented clown like Francis knows that it is it’s his job to destroy this Church because he has to get rid of true religion.” I read that when challenged the bishop said “I didn’t hear anything I disagreed with.” I have no idea of the truth of this allegation, [Then … WHY ARE YOU POSTING THIS?] it seems to me unlikely but were it true I think Bp Strickland had some explaining to do.
Frank wants us to leave his “church”
Let him and his acolytes pay for it.
I wonder what would happen if Bishop Strickland consecrated new bishops for the SSPX . . . .
Why, oh why did you have to resign Pope Benedict? So much confusion and sorrow since then.
I remembered him in my prayers last night, and will do so again tonight.
I watched the video, and I know what Strickland said, and didn’t say. He never once said Francis isn’t pope, or that Francis is an antipope.
Reading a letter does not give it approbation, and it’s not like he read it from the pulpit.
Failure to implement TC? I guess we here in a prominent see in the northeast can expect our Cardinal Archbishop will be next? All the TLMs in the archdiocese are in parish churches, including the metropolitan cathedral and no priest has been restricted as far as I’m aware.
May Our Mother of Perpetual Help be a constant source of strength and support for Bishop Strickland, the clergy, and the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler.
More proof that these people don’t have a plan. This is a terrible move.
If I were a betting man, I’d wager that the reigning Pontiff has never seriously read the “Antigone” of Sophocles.
“If the world hate you, know ye, that it hath hated Me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:18-19
Sáncte Míchael Archángele, defénde nos in proélio, cóntra nequítiam et insídias diáboli ésto præsídium. Ímperet ílli Déus, súpplices deprecámur: tuque, prínceps milítiæ cæléstis, Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos, qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in múndo, divína virtúte, in inférnum detrúde. Ámen.
I stand with His Excellency Bishop Joseph E. Strickland and his fidelity to Jesus Christ, His bride and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Oremus
If I were Bp. Strickland, I would just stay put and remain as Bishop of Tyler, Texas. I mean, seriously, what recourse would the pacha-pacha Francis have to such “disobedience”? It’s not like he can call the Tyler local police to do something about it. Besides, for all we know, Bergoglio is a mere pretender to the papacy. Bp. Strickland would not be technically disobeying by staying put.
“No reasons were listed in the announcement. This was a personal decision of Francis. There seems not to have been a formal canonical procedure, which is the regular way of things in the Church to maintain good order. I suspect my vaticanisti friends back in Rome are asking questions in the Press Office… and receiving no answers.”
No formal canonical procedure ? Seriously ? So much for “Audiatur et altera pars” & the rule of law. It is impossible not to be reminded of how Abp Lefebvre was refused due process, and was condemned without it. Given the Church’s exceedingly lofty theological claims for itself, one can be forgiven for imagining that ensuring due process in matters such as this would be of very great importance to it. Apparently not. Apparently condemnation without trial constitutes justice in Rome’s mind. By what standard is such behaviour even remotely Christian ?
Somebody please start a GiveSendGo for Bishop Strickland, one that will get publicized. When the faithful priest, can’t recall his name, was cancelled his fund grew exponentially. I feel certain there would be a similar outcome. Let’s face it, we all need money, and we could alleviate that one factor in short order. The man needs health insurance, etc., and without that to worry him enables him to consider possibilities. America’s bishop would get funded even if everyone gave a tiny amount.
Francis said he would possibly be the pope to bring a schism. What other pope has considered openly that possibility. He’s brought it. I do not wish to read another word of popesplaining from anybody. The only thing I pray regarding him is his conversion. I also pray he gets removed however God sees fit. Ten minutes ago is not soon enough, but in God’s good time.
We could have reacted the same way over the cruelty done to Bishop Torres of Puerto Rico, a faithful servant of the people who was removed the same way, as if he was managing a K-Mart, by the CEO of the head Rome branch office. His Excellency was removed because he would not sign a statement endorsing Covid vaccines for his people, expressing that he did not agree with it, being a political statement. He also reportedly didn’t rub elbows enough with his bishop brothers, and for this crime, Francis gave him the Roman boot with a pointy toe. The man was an apparently faithful bishop who was removed for not recommending a Covid vax to his people. Bishops are present day apostles, given their mandate by God. What good is any of this if they are now treated like K-Mart managers and removed on a vindictive whim. Francis has removed his critic, the pebble in his shoe.
He, and the church, could not look worse at this time. He has disgraced his office.
I should have added, there are going to be many Catholics looking directly at all the bishops and Cardinals for what they are going to say and do about this situation. It has come to this. Get off that fence, please, your Excellencies, and do something that resembles being a bishop in God’s house. It is a time for action, and you are the only ones who can do it.
@Mark
I wrote to 12 different bishops,archbishop, and cardinals in the US (Dé Nardo was one of them) right after the visitation of Bishop Strickland urging them to give public support of the good bishop. I got one generic form letter response, one letter declaring that he had already publicly supported Bishop Strickland (though I never saw a news report of that support), and one fence-sitting response. Where are the men in the hierarchy? Not one more penny to support these effeminate losers. (I’m being very, very kind here.)
We must continue to FAST AND PRAY!!! This puts more pressure on the good (although maybe not as courageous) bishops. There are still dioceses which allow the TLM in parishes! Priests want to feed their flocks!!! Come, Lord Jesus!
Can you, at some point, explain what technically happens to a priest when they are removed from their parish or diocese?
Are they on their own financially? Are there restrictions on what they can do next?
I have thought talented priests would be in high demand given the priest shortage. Does a bishop have to invite one to their diocese?
We -and our faithful Bishops – need the lesson from this
All rules have to be followed. To the letter. To the dotted is and crossed ts
All rules can be thwarted by”blind” obedience
The book “Good Soldier Schweik” shows the way
Every shrine, hospital chapel, school chapel, hall, can host a Latin Mass. Every Sunday. Daily even.
The Modernist cabal cannot get rid of us all, unless we lay down.
And cut his “New Church” off from funding. Let the divorcees, gays, feminists pay.
Three things:
1. This is one reason several priests do not want to be a bishop.
2. It’s interesting that Vasquez, the Bishop of Austin, was tapped by Pope Francis to be the Apostolic Administrator. In 1986 the Tyler Diocese was created out of the Diocese of Dallas.
3. I wonder if Bishop Strickland can file some kind of an appeal. We need more shepherds like him.
[The only appeal is to Francis. That’s not going to happen.]
If Bp. Strickland decides to accept this cross and quietly leave Tyler, perhaps this is one of those “nothing happens by chance” events that will free him to become something like a modern day Abp. Sheen. If that were the case, then I’m sure he would have an even greater positive effect in bringing more souls to Christ and His Church.
Honestly, how many priests and deacons in the Diocese of Tyler truly have Bishop Strickland’s back? That is to say, how many will stick with him and not accept this to the point of going with Bishop Strickland wherever he goes? At the end of the day, this is what counts. If Pope Francis can replace Bishop Strickland without much, or any, issue, then he truly can do whatever he wants just because he wants with personal, doctrine, morals, etc.
If no one fights this, then no one fights, and we are way way more lost as a Church than we realize.
Yes, prayers for Bishop Strickland. When I am sad and frustrated I go back to the (alleged) prophecy attributed to St. Francis, specifically the line “…for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.” I know he meant it for members of the Franciscan order, but I hope it goes for all of us. I hope these terrible trials are being permitted to allow the forging of greater caliber saints. I hope …
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I am shocked, but not surprised.
Frank, please repent of your wickedness. You may not believe in Hell, but my prayer is that you don’t find out the hard way.
Bp Strickland, you are in my prayers too. Thanks for sticking with Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life and for your witness to Him. God grant you the wisdom and the means to carry on, in whatever capacity He has in mind for you. Know that (alongside Almighty God Himself) there are people behind you.
We’ve already been told how this is going to pan out.
There is an obvious parallel to be drawn here with S. John, on the one hand, and Caiaphas, on the other.
God is not the author of confusion. In the mid 90’s I read a book by a parish priest “Remnant Church”. This pontificate is proving this to be prediction to be true.
This is a very strange way to show your commitment to synodality and anti-clericalism. In fact, removing a bishop without stating a reason outside due process seems the opposite of “ active participation of all the faithful in the life and mission of the Church” (supposed synodality) and the epitome of Anthony Pogorelc’s definition of clericalism as “ officials exercise domination over the subordinate members and structures in religious institutions”.
Apparently, buying an expensive cassock is evil and an abuse of authority but removing a brother bishop without due process is all good.
[CORRECTION: The cassock doesn’t have to be expensive. That fact that it is a cassock is enough.]
Eamon Duffy writes in “The Stripping of the Altars”: “…religious discontent and an attachment to traditional religion lay at the heart of the Pilgrimage of Grace”. I thought about this around 2am this morning- I was disturbed all day after reading about Bishop Strickland. Many parallels with what is coming out of Rome under Francis- there is now a “recusant” church within the RC church. I am simply shocked at this- we need a Pilgrimage of Grace 2.0 in Rome with as many faithful as possible.
I am conflicted. Pope Francis preaches continually about charity and being charitable to your neighbor.
Then he acts like an angry mobster when he treats Bishop Strickland without an ounce of charity. I can pray for Pope Francis the man but not for his intentions.
“To think my greatest enemies my best friends;
For the brethren of Joseph could never have done him
so much good with their love and favor
as they did him with their malice and hatred.”
-St. Thomas More
Praying for Bishop Strickland and Pope Francis
What happens when bishops are removed from their dioceses?
When I’m tempted to react with disgust or hatred against someone for what they did or represent, I am training myself to pray for them STAT. Then let it go. I really want to love my neighbor as myself.
It’s hard to tame my tongue. Regular Confession, daily Mass and prayer and Holy Hours, are the means I must do to purify what comes out of my mouth.
On my personal Judgement Day standing before the Lord, He will ask me if prayed for my enemies and those I can’t stand.
I want to say a big fat YES.
Fr. Z:
I live in Texas and should have known this earlier. Thanks for your patience.
The Tyler Diocese is a suffragen of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The Austin Diocese (during my discernment process years ago I was approached by the Austin Diocese as a potential seminarian – one of my alma maters is in the Austin Diocese) is also a suffragen of Galveston-Houston. The Diocese of Dallas and the Diocese of Fort Worth are suffragens of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Prior to 1969, the Dioceses’ of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Tyler were one diocese. The Diocese of Fort Worth (which extends as far west as Stephenville and Wichita Falls) became its own diocese in 1969 and the Diocese of Tyler was created in 1986. Until that time Tyler, Longview, and the Texas portion of Texarkana were part of the Dallas Diocese. Like LGA, the DFW airport is within two dioceses.
Administratively speaking, I understand now why a bishop from Austin and not Dallas was named apostolic administrator.
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