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His Excellency, The Most Reverend Joseph Strickland
Bishop Emeritus of Tyler
Church Catholic Church
Appointed
  • September 29, 2012
Enthroned
  • November 28, 2012
Predecessor Álvaro Corrada del Río
Successor Gregory Kelly
Orders
Ordination June 1, 1985
Consecration November 28, 2012
by Daniel DiNardo, Michael Sheehan, and Álvaro Corrada del Río
Personal details
Born (1958-10-31) October 31, 1958 (age 66)
Fredericksburg, Texas, U.S.
Education Holy Trinity Seminary
University of Dallas
Catholic University of America
Motto Ut inhabitem in domo Domini
(That I may dwell in the house of the Lord) (Psalm 27:4)
Coat of arms {{{coat_of_arms_alt}}}
Styles of
Joseph Edward Strickland
Coat of arms of Joseph Edward Strickland, Bishop Emeritus of Tyler.svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Joseph Edward Strickland (born October 31, 1958) is an American bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the bishop of Tyler in Texas from 2012 until Pope Francis removed him from his position in 2023.

Early Life and Education

Joseph Strickland was born on October 31, 1958, in Fredericksburg, Texas. When he was young, his family moved to Atlanta, Texas. There, his parents helped start St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Parish. Strickland later attended Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas.

Becoming a Priest

Strickland became a priest on June 1, 1985. Bishop Thomas Tschoepe ordained him for the Diocese of Dallas. His first job as a priest was at Immaculate Conception Parish in Tyler, Texas.

In 1987, the Diocese of Tyler was created. Strickland then joined this new diocese. He became its first director for vocations, helping people who wanted to become priests. He also worked at Sacred Heart Parish in Nacogdoches, Texas and St. Michael Parish in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

In 1992, Bishop Edmond Carmody sent Strickland to study canon law at Catholic University of America. He earned a special degree in canon law in 1994. After returning to Texas, Strickland became a judicial vicar for the diocese. He also became the rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In 1995, Pope John Paul II gave him the title of monsignor.

Strickland temporarily led the diocese from March 2000 to January 2001. This was before Álvaro Corrada del Río became the new bishop. In 2010, Strickland was named vicar general. He held this role until 2011.

Serving as Bishop of Tyler

Bishop Joseph Strickland Latin Mass 3
Bishop Strickland celebrating Traditional Latin Mass (2021)
Portrait of Pope Francis (2021)
Pope Francis (2021)

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Strickland as bishop of the Diocese of Tyler on September 29, 2012. He officially became bishop on November 28, 2012, in Tyler. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo led the ceremony. Strickland was the first person born in Texas to lead this diocese.

In October 2020, Strickland said the Vatican had a "deep state." He felt the church was "weak" and "not clear." He also said Pope Francis' support for civil unions was "confusing and very dangerous."

In July 2022, Strickland shared a video on Twitter. The video was from a traditional Catholic newspaper and strongly criticized Pope Francis. In May 2023, Strickland accused Francis of trying to "undermine the Deposit of Faith" (the core beliefs of the Catholic Church).

In June 2023, a report said that Strickland's diocese was being investigated. This investigation looked into how he managed the diocese. In September 2023, it was reported that church leaders discussed asking Strickland to resign. In October 2023, Strickland wrote an open letter to his diocese. He said he would not resign because it would mean "abandoning the flock" (the people he was meant to lead).

On October 31, 2023, Strickland read a letter at a conference in Rome. The letter questioned Pope Francis's authority. Strickland called the letter "challenging" but did not disagree with its claims.

Removal from Office

On November 11, 2023, Pope Francis removed Strickland as bishop of Tyler. Bishop Joe Vásquez was appointed to lead the diocese temporarily. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo explained that an investigation into Strickland's leadership found that he could not continue in his role. He said Strickland was asked to resign on November 9, 2023, but refused. Because of this, he was removed.

After his removal, Strickland said he was unsure of the exact reason. He suggested he might have "threatened some of the powers that be with the truth of the Gospel." He encouraged Catholics to pray for Pope Francis and to stay in the church. He also urged them to "be more faithful than ever."

Key Beliefs and Views

Political Views

On November 4, 2012, just before the 2012 United States presidential election, Strickland led a public prayer service. He asked people to reflect on their beliefs before the election. He wrote that "fundamental truths" were being challenged. He felt that people of faith should think about how their beliefs should be part of laws and supported by leaders.

In September 2020, Strickland supported a video by Father James Altman. Altman said that "You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat." Strickland told his followers to "heed this message." Altman was later removed from his ministry in July 2021. Strickland continued to support him, saying Altman was "speaking the truth." In December 2020, Strickland spoke at a rally in Washington D.C.. This rally was held by supporters of President Donald Trump who questioned the results of the 2020 United States presidential election.

By 2023, Strickland had described President Joe Biden as "evil." In March 2025, Strickland wrote an open letter to President Trump. He asked him to stop "the indiscriminate killing of civilians" in Gaza and U.S. military strikes in Yemen. Strickland believed these conflicts went against just war theory.

Church Accountability

In August 2018, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò made serious accusations against several high-ranking church leaders, including Pope Francis. Viganò claimed they had covered up past issues involving a former cardinal. Viganò asked those responsible to resign. Strickland said he found Viganò's claims "credible." He encouraged his followers to share these accusations.

In January 2020, after meeting with Pope Francis, Strickland said he no longer agreed with Viganò's call for the Pope's resignation. He also said he was satisfied with the Vatican's investigation into the matter.

In October 2020, Strickland criticized the slow release of the Vatican's report on the issue. He called the delay "evil." He then challenged Pope Francis to "go ahead and fire me" for his comment.

COVID-19 Pandemic Views

In May 2020, Strickland signed a petition that criticized government rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. The petition claimed these rules were meant to limit freedoms. It also raised doubts about how contagious or dangerous the virus was.

In December 2020, Strickland wrote a letter to his diocese about COVID-19 vaccines. He urged people to "reject any vaccine that uses the remains of aborted children." He later tweeted that "ANY vaccine available today involves using murdered children." He added, "I will not extend my life by USING murdered children. This is evil WAKE UP!"

Traditional Latin Mass

Strickland celebrated the Tridentine Mass (an older form of Catholic Mass) for the first time in June 2020. He described it as respectful and beautiful. He encouraged Catholics to attend this form of Mass. He also encouraged those who liked the Tridentine Mass to attend the newer Mass of Paul VI, saying it could also be celebrated respectfully.

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of Joseph Strickland
Coat of arms of Joseph Edward Strickland.svg
Notes
The coat of arms was designed and adopted when he was appointed as the Bishop of Tyler.
Adopted
28 November 2012
Escutcheon
The left side is the coat of arms of the Diocese of Tyler. The right side includes at the top are the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart, the shell represents the Strickland family crest and is also in Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms. The wavy line is taken from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Dallas where he studied and was ordained to the priesthood. The cross of stars represents the Southern Cross which is visible in Australia and is part of the Australian flag.
Motto
UT INHABITEM IN DOMO DOMINI (Psalm 27:4)

See also

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