Joseph Strickland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend Joseph Strickland |
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| Bishop Emeritus of Tyler | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Diocese of Tyler |
| Appointed |
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| Enthroned |
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| Reign ended |
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| Predecessor | Álvaro Corrada del Río |
| Successor | Joe S. Vásquez (Apostolic administrator) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 1, 1985 |
| Consecration | November 28, 2012 by Daniel DiNardo, Michael Sheehan, and Álvaro Corrada del Río |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 31, 1958 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 |  |
| Styles of Joseph Edward Strickland |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Joseph Edward Strickland (born October 31, 1958) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church, who was consecrated a bishop for the Diocese of Tyler in eastern Texas in 2012. On November 11, 2023, in a rare move, he was removed from the post by Pope Francis.
Contents
Biography
Early life
Joseph Strickland was born on October 31, 1958, in Fredericksburg, Texas. As a young child, his family moved to Atlanta, Texas, where his parents were founding members of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Parish. Strickland attended Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas.
Priesthood
Strickland was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas Tschoepe on June 1, 1985, for the Diocese of Dallas. His first assignment was to Immaculate Conception Parish in Tyler, Texas. Upon the creation of the Diocese of Tyler in 1987, Strickland was incardinated, or transferred into, the new diocese and was named its first vocation director in March 1987 by Bishop Charles Herzig. Strickland's service also included periods at Sacred Heart Parish in Nacogdoches, Texas and St. Michael Parish in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.
In 1992, Strickland was assigned by Bishop Edmond Carmody to study canon law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1994. Returning to Texas, Strickland was named judicial vicar of the diocese and rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In 1995, he was named a prelate of honor with the title of monsignor by Pope John Paul II.
Strickland served as apostolic administrator of the diocese from March 2000 until January 2001 when Álvaro Corrada del Río was installed as the new bishop. In 2010, Strickland was named vicar general. He served in that capacity until being named as a delegate of the apostolic administrator upon Corrada's departure for Puerto Rico in 2011
Bishop of Tyler
Strickland was appointed as bishop of the Diocese of Tyler by Pope Benedict XVI on September 29, 2012, and was consecrated on November 28, 2012, at Caldwell Auditorium in Tyler. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo was the celebrant and principal consecrator. Strickland is the first native Texan to head the 33-county diocese.
He was subject to an apostolic visitation in 2023, apparently focused around the administration of the diocese and not his outspoken views on other topics. A meeting of members of the Dicastery for Bishops in September of that same year discussed a recommendation that Strickland be asked to resign. In an open letter to the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler, Strickland announced that he would not resign, "because that would be me abandoning the flock that I was given charge of by Pope Benedict XVI".
On 11 November 2023, Pope Francis relieved Strickland from his post as bishop of Tyler, appointing Joe Vásquez as apostolic administrator in his place.
Views
Politics
On November 4, 2012, days before the 2012 United States presidential election, Strickland led a public rally and prayer service in downtown Tyler asking the faithful to turn toward God before the election. In an editorial written for the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Strickland said:
The fundamental truths that once were and still should be the bedrock of our society are being challenged daily. I believe the election on Nov. 6 brings a great task to all of us as people of faith to soberly reflect on what we believe and how those beliefs should be embodied in our laws and supported by our leaders.
In September 2020, Strickland endorsed a video by Fr. James Altman, a priest in the Diocese of Lacrosse, who said "You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat." In 2021, Altman's bishop, William Callahan of LaCrosse, removed Altman from ministry after he resisted a request to resign.
COVID-19 pandemic
In May 2020, Strickland signed a petition released by Viganò which criticized restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic as intentionally "creating panic among the world's population with the sole aim of permanently imposing unacceptable forms of restriction on freedoms." The petition singles out the use of contact tracing devices as well as mandatory vaccination as infringements on people's rights, and cites "growing doubts ... about the actual contagiousness, danger, and resistance of the virus."
Tridentine Mass
Strickland celebrated the Tridentine Mass for the first time June 2020, describing it as reverent and beautiful. Strickland encouraged Catholics to attend Mass in that form of the Roman rite, and encouraged Catholics attached to the Tridentine Mass to attend the Mass of Paul VI, which he said could also be celebrated reverently.
LGBT rights
In light of a documentary released in October 2020, some suggested this as Pope Francis' expressed support for the legalization of civil unions; Strickland dismissed the pope's statement as merely opinion, and said that its release was confusing and dangerous.
Arms
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See also
In Spanish: Joseph Strickland para niños
